Alert administration foiled bogus voter registration in Rajura seat: Officials after Rahul claim

Chandrapur, Sep 18 (PTI) Swift action by election authorities averted large-scale bogus voter registration in Maharashtra's Rajura assembly seat, where as many as 6,861 applications were rejected during the revision process in run-up to the 2024 assembly polls, officials said on Friday.

Rajura in Chandrapur district in eastern Maharashtra came into limelight when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday, alleged that 6,850 voters were added in the constituency in a "fraudulent" manner using automated software.

According to Rajura assembly constituency Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) Ravindra Mane, an unusually high number of online applications had been received in a short span of time during the revision process.

Without waiting for any formal complaints, officials initiated verification and found multiple discrepancies, he said.

"Of the 7,592 applications submitted between October 1 and 17, 2024, as many as 6,861 were rejected after it was found that the applicants were either not residing at the given addresses, were non-existent, or had submitted incomplete documents and photographs," Mane said in a statement.

The verification was carried out by the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer and Tehsildar of Rajura through Booth Level Officers (BLOs). Following the inquiry, a detailed proposal for rejection was submitted to the district office on October 17, 2024, said the statement.

Assembly polls in Maharashtra were held on November 20, 2024, and votes were counted three days later.

Mane's clarification came in the wake of allegations of voter list irregularities in Rajura levelled by the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Given the seriousness of the matter, the District Election Officer directed a deeper scrutiny of all applications. Instructions were also issued to initiate criminal proceedings under provisions of the Representation of People Act, 1950, and the Information Technology Act, 2000, said the statement.

Based on these directions, the ERO formally rejected the applications and a case was registered at the Rajura Police Station under Crime No. 629/2024. The police have begun an investigation, officials confirmed.

Authorities underlined that timely vigilance ensured the names of bogus applicants did not find their way into the electoral rolls of the Rajura constituency.

BJP candidate Deorao Vithoba Bhongle was declared elected from the seat last year. He secured 72,882 votes and defeated his nearest rival, Subhash Ramchandrarao Dhote of the Congress -- who polled 69,828 ballots -- by a margin of 3,054 votes. PTI MR RSY