Aaditya alleges irregularities in draft voters list; says extend time for suggestions, objections

Mumbai, Nov 24 (PTI) Alleging irregularities in the draft voters list published by Maharashtra State Election Commission, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday said the poll body should extend the time for giving suggestions and raising objections about the draft notification to 21 days from the current seven.

Addressing a news conference here after meeting SEC Dinesh Waghmare, Thackeray warned that if irregularities are not rectified in the draft voters list, then the Opposition will not only hit the streets but also approach the court.

If the irregularities in the draft have been done on purpose, then the SEC should be booked for sedition, Thackeray added.

A delegation of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders led by Thackeray met the SEC.

However, no one from the Congress or the NCP (SP) was part of the delegation, giving signals of fissures in the Opposition.

Even the letter to the SEC about alleged irregularities was signed by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray.

Aaditya Thackeray said the draft list of Mumbai uploaded on Maharashtra State Election Commission's website bears a different date than November 20.

Earlier, it was declared to be published on November 7, but it was delayed to November 14 and then finally uploaded on November 20, he said.

"The time given by the SEC to give suggestions and raise objections is just seven days. This should be increased to at least 21 days," Thackeray said, adding the SEC has in-principle agreed to extend the date.

He alleged that many voters from one ward have been randomly moved to another. This, he claimed, has not happened in wards favourable to the ruling party but in those where the opposition is strong.

He further added that the draft voters list was not machine readable.

Thackeray claimed there are 26,319 houses in which 8,32,326 people reside.

This means over 10 people stay in one house, which requires the SEC to verify all these 26,319 houses and people residing in it, he said.

There are duplicate 1,500 EPIC and more than 6,076 voters who are over 100 years old, the Worli MLA pointed out.

There are 2,500 voters with no EPIC number and over 6 lakh voters with no house number, the former Maharashtra minister added.

He further said the "mess" highlighted by them is only about Mumbai and alleged there are bigger irregularities in civic bodies in Thane, Nashik, Sambhajinagar. PTI PR BNM