Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 18: Unfazed by the Election Commission's dismissal of fraud allegations in recent state polls, the Congress party has once again raised concerns—this time focusing on alleged irregularities in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. Senior party leader and head of media and publicity, Pawan Khera, claimed that several constituencies in the state saw suspiciously sharp fluctuations in voter numbers within just six months.
Khera’s statement follows earlier claims by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress that over one crore fake entries were made in Maharashtra's voter rolls between the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
Taking to social media platform X on Monday, Khera pointed to two key trends: an unusually steep drop in voters in some constituencies, and an equally dramatic spike in others. According to him, voter rolls in Ramtek and Devlali saw a decline of 38.45% and 36.82%, respectively, suggesting that nearly 40% of the electorate either died or migrated in half a year. Meanwhile, Nashik West and Hingna recorded surges of 47.38% and 43.08%, respectively—implying that nearly half the electorate suddenly became eligible to vote.
Khera argued that these anomalies couldn’t be attributed to normal voter list updates, especially since the changes occurred within a six-month window between the national and state elections in 2024.
His renewed accusations come in the wake of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s firm rejection of similar claims made by the Congress in the past.
Kumar described the allegations as “hearsay” and a political distraction, further questioning why the party remained silent for eight months post-elections without filing any formal complaints or legal petitions.
The Election Commission has consistently denied accusations of voter list manipulation or electoral malpractice. Regarding Maharashtra specifically, the CEC has dismissed the Congress’ narrative of “match-fixing” and highlighted the absence of substantive evidence or timely objections.
Still, Congress continues to press the issue, asserting that its loss in the Maharashtra Assembly elections was due in large part to alleged voter fraud—particularly the sudden spike in voting after 5 p.m. on polling day and manipulated voter lists.
As Khera’s latest charges gain traction, they are likely to deepen the ongoing friction between the Congress party and the Election Commission—raising questions not only about the 2024 Assembly elections but also about broader concerns over electoral transparency and accountability.