EC questions timing of Congress’s electoral roll complaints in Maharashtra

Mumbai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has alleged that the Congress did not point out any serious concern in the electoral rolls in Maharashtra during the revision process, and raised objections only after the 2024 assembly poll results were declared.

It also said that electoral rolls are revised annually through a participatory exercise and their copies are shared free of cost with recognised political parties, including the Congress, first at the draft stage and again after finalisation, it said.

In an official statement issued days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of "match-fixing" in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls, the commission said, "It is only after the results that the Indian National Congress (INC) is raising this issue." The Congress did not register any serious objection during the revision of electoral rolls or election process, it said.

In a newspaper article published on Saturday, Gandhi alleged "match-fixing" in the Maharashtra polls, and claimed that it would next happen in the Bihar election and "anywhere the BJP is losing".

The ECI said the preparation and revision of electoral rolls are carried out as per the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules (RER), 1960, involving extensive field verification by nearly one lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across the state.

"The process of preparation and updation of electoral rolls is a continuous process," the Commission added.

Responding to allegations of irregularities in addition or deletion of voters' names, it said, "Any population projection through a statistical tool cannot be a basis for stopping or allowing addition or deletion in the electoral roll as registration is based on actual individual forms received from the public, field verification, and decisions taken on each form by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO)." The commission highlighted that a special summary revision of electoral rolls was conducted ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra elections.

"A copy of the draft and final electoral rolls, in soft and hard copy, was shared with recognised political parties, including the INC, for claims and objections," it added.

The ECI pointed out that between the 2019 assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, there was a net increase of 48.82 lakh voters, including over 20 lakh young electors aged 18 to 29.

"Gross addition of electors from assembly Elections 2019 to Lok Sabha Elections 2024 was 1.38 crore," the statement said.

It further stated that the Congress had appointed 28,421 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) during the electoral roll revision and "no serious objection was raised by any BLA/INC or by candidates of INC till election results were declared."

Rebutting allegations of non-disclosure, the ECI said, "Electoral rolls are revised annually through a participatory exercise. Copies of these rolls are shared free of cost with recognised political parties, including the INC, first at the draft stage and again after finalisation."

The ECI also clarified that a complete copy of the electoral roll used for the 2024 assembly elections is available online for people to download. Under Rule 33 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, any person, including INC representatives, can obtain copies of retained electoral rolls from the concerned District Election Officer by paying the prescribed fee.

Reiterating this statutory position, the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra, had already responded to a request from an INC Member of Parliament (MP) through an order dated May 22 this year, it said.