Congress forms committee to probe voter list ‘irregularities'
Prithviraj Chavan
to investigate alleged irregularities in the voter list and propose preventive measures ahead of the upcoming local body elections.
Congress had alleged that the BJP manipulated the electoral rolls during the last Assembly elections with the implicit support of the Election Commission.
"The BJP used the voter list to win elections by illegitimate means," MPCC president Harshwardhan Sapkal said, adding that the party is determined to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. "The Election Commission failed to act on our formal complaint and hasn't provided any satisfactory explanation," he said.
The committee comprises All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Praful Gudadhe Patil, former minister Ashokrao Patil, MPCC general secretary Rajesh Sharma, Dhananjay Chaudhary, and Parikshit Jagtap. MPCC general secretary Abhay Chhajed has been appointed as the coordinator.
Speaking to TOI, Chavan alleged that there was large-scale manipulation of voter lists between the 2024 Lok Sabha and the subsequent Assembly elections in the state.
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"There were unexplained and suspicious spikes in voter registration figures, potential misuse of identity, and repeated failure of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to enforce safeguards," he said.
The former chief minister claimed that 41 lakh new voters were added to the list within just five months between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. "This means around 9 to 10 lakh new entries were made per month, which is an unusually high rate and raises suspicion," he said.
The panel is expected to examine alleged loopholes and recommend concrete steps to "ensure free and fair elections". It will submit its findings to the MPCC.
"We have already submitted detailed complaints regarding discrepancies in the electoral rolls. However, the EC remains silent," the MPCC said adding that the committee would focus on "ensuring electoral transparency and restoring public trust in the democratic process".
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