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ECI Dismisses Rahul Gandhi’s Claims of Maharashtra Election Fraud as ‘Utterly Absurd’
In a recent article published in a national newspaper, Gandhi accused the BJP of “match-fixing” during the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
This article ignited a political uproar, with opposition parties arguing it reveals alleged electoral manipulation in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections and emphasizes the ECI’s “silence” on crucial questions raised by the opposition alliance.
In response to the allegations, an official from the poll panel stated, “The revision of Maharashtra’s electoral rolls was conducted under the vigilant oversight of 1,03,727 Booth Level Agents (BLAs), including 27,099 appointed by the Indian National Congress (INC).” The official further asserted that there was no foundation for Gandhi’s claims of a compromised electoral process.
The ECI outlined that the updating of electoral rolls adheres strictly to Article 324 of the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and ongoing guidelines issued by the Commission.
Meanwhile, Gandhi has called on the Election Commission to address the concerns raised in his article, emphasizing the need for transparency.
“Dear EC, as a Constitutional body, responding to serious queries with unsigned, vague notes is inadequate. If you have nothing to hide, directly answer the questions posed in my article and demonstrate transparency by:
– Publishing comprehensive, digital, machine-readable voter rolls from the most recent Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, including Maharashtra.
– Releasing CCTV footage from Maharashtra polling booths post-5 p.m.
– Evading responsibility will not safeguard your credibility. Truth-telling will,” he shared on X.
Earlier, the ECI emphasized that the “unfounded allegations” about Maharashtra’s electoral rolls undermine the rule of law. It noted that these issues had already been addressed in its response to the INC on December 24, 2024, which is published on the ECI’s website. The Commission pointed out that these facts seem to have been overlooked while repeating the concerns.
The ECI cautioned that spreading misinformation disrespects the law and undermines the credibility of thousands of election representatives from various political parties, as well as demotivates the election personnel dedicated to conducting transparent elections. It urged that attempting to tarnish the Election Commission’s image after an unfavorable voter decision is utterly baseless.
Commission sources also questioned the lack of appeals if the allegations had any merit, noting that only 89 appeals were made to the first appellate authority (District Magistrate) out of a total of 9,77,90,752 voters, with merely one appeal going to the second appellate authority (Chief Electoral Officer).
On Saturday, Gandhi asserted that the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections were “rigged” and warned of a similar trend occurring in the upcoming Bihar elections.
Sharing his article on X, he claimed, “The Maharashtra Assembly elections of 2024 were a blueprint for undermining democracy. My article outlines this process step by step.”
He described a five-step method:
“Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission.
Step 2: Introduce fraudulent voters to the rolls.
Step 3: Inflate voter turnout figures.
Step 4: Target dubious voting in areas where the BJP needs to secure victories.
Step 5: Conceal the evidence.”
He categorized the alleged manipulation as “match-fixing,” arguing that while a cheating side may win, it ultimately harms democratic institutions and erodes public trust in electoral outcomes.
“It’s clear why the BJP was so eager in Maharashtra. However, rigging undermines faith in democratic processes. We must all examine the evidence, form our own judgments, and demand accountability,” he added.
Gandhi warned that the “match-fixing” witnessed in Maharashtra could soon be replicated in Bihar and potentially in any state where the BJP faces the possibility of loss.
“Rigged elections poison democratic integrity,” he concluded.
New Delhi: An 18-year-old MBBS student has accused a 20-year-old male friend of drugging and sexually assaulting her at a hotel in Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar area. The alleged incident took place on September 9, police officials said.
According to the complaint, the accused, who is also a medical student, invited the woman to “Hotel Apple” on the pretext of spending time together. Once there, he allegedly gave her a drink laced with drugs and then raped her.
The survivor told police that the accused recorded obscene videos and took pictures during the assault. He later threatened to make the content viral if she reported the incident.
The woman, a native of Jind in Haryana, is currently staying at the hostel of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College in Rohini, Delhi.
Based on her complaint, police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. A search is underway to locate and arrest the accused, officials added.
In a separate case earlier this month, a school manager in Uttar Pradesh was arrested for allegedly raping a Class 8 student. In February, a tuition teacher in Delhi’s CR Park area was accused of repeatedly raping a 15-year-old student over three years and threatening her with blackmail.
Jaipur: Eight patients died after a fire broke out at the trauma centre of the state-run Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur late Sunday night.
Officials said the blaze started in the storage area of the Neuro ICU, possibly due to a short circuit. There were 11 patients in the ICU at the time. Smoke quickly spread, causing panic among patients and staff.
Hospital workers and attendants tried to rescue patients, even moving them out on their beds. Firefighters controlled the blaze in about two hours.
Families of the victims alleged that hospital staff ignored early warnings about smoke and fled during the fire.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and other ministers visited the hospital to review the situation and assured a detailed probe into the incident.
Uttar Pradesh: A 75-year-old man who remarried in search of companionship died barely hours after his wedding, sparking shock and speculation in his village.
The deceased, identified as Sangruram, a resident of Kuchhmuchh village in Jaunpur district, had been living alone after losing his first wife a year ago. With no children, he supported himself through farming. Despite advice from relatives against remarriage, Sangruram wed 35-year-old Manbhavati, a resident of Jalalpur area, on Monday, September 29.
The marriage was first registered in court, followed by traditional rituals at a local temple. According to Manbhavati, the couple spent most of the wedding night conversing, as Sangruram assured her that she would take responsibility for the household while he would “take care of the children.”
However, by the next morning, his health deteriorated suddenly. He was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The unexpected death has triggered varied reactions in the village. While some residents believe it to be a natural occurrence given his age, others have expressed suspicion about the circumstances.
Relatives, including nephews residing in Delhi, have halted funeral rites until their arrival. They have also raised questions about whether a police inquiry or post-mortem examination will be conducted before the cremation.
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding further investigation.
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