Rahul Gandhi targets EC, BJP over 2.06 crore voters missing from Maharashtra draft roll
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the BJP and the Election Commission of changing their tactics to ensure the ruling party's victory, after more than 2.06 crore voters were left out of Maharashtra's draft electoral roll following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Gandhi referred to the Election Commission as the “Vote Theft Commission” and alleged that the development was part of a larger attempt to undermine democracy.
“The BJP and the "Vote Theft Commission" keep changing their tactics, and they will continue to do so- the goal remains just one: BJP’s victory at any cost, and the end of India’s democracy,” Gandhi said in a post on X.
Over 2 crore voters missing from draft roll
According to Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer, 2,06,88,487 electors were not included in the draft roll after their enumeration forms could not be collected.
The reasons included voters being untraceable, deceased, having shifted residence, registered elsewhere or having duplicate entries. The category also includes people who did not submit their enumeration forms.
The draft electoral roll now has more than 7.71 crore voters, representing 78.86 per cent of the state's previous electorate. It includes around 3.95 crore men, 3.75 crore women and 3,087 third-gender voters.
Before the SIR exercise, Maharashtra had around 9.78 crore registered electors.
Rahul Gandhi cites earlier voter-roll concerns
Gandhi linked the Maharashtra figures to his earlier allegations of irregularities in voter rolls.
Referring to the 2024 Maharashtra elections, he alleged that 39 lakh new voters were added between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and called it “vote theft”.
He also cited the SIR exercise in West Bengal, claiming that 91 per cent of names removed from the draft roll were restored following appeals.
Gandhi questioned the differing voter counts recorded during the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and the latest SIR exercise, asking which electoral roll should be considered correct.
Also read | ‘Where is the democracy?’: Prakash Raj challenges EC over Karnataka draft voter list drive
Pune, Thane among districts with most uncollectable forms
Pune had the highest number of uncollectable enumeration forms at 28.6 lakh. The category covers voter-verification forms that officials could not collect because voters were absent, untraceable, had shifted residence, died, registered elsewhere, had duplicate entries or did not submit the form. Thane followed with 28.5 lakh and Mumbai Suburban with 26.5 lakh.
Nagpur recorded 14.43 lakh such forms, while Nashik had 10.27 lakh and Mumbai City 9.5 lakh, officials said.
Also read | Delhi’s voter rolls see 32.9% exclusion in SIR, more than four times Bengal’s initial figure
What happens next?
The draft roll is not the final electoral list. Voters whose names are missing can file claims and objections between August 31 and September 30.
Eligible voters can apply for inclusion using Form 6, while objections to entries can be filed through Form 7. Corrections to details such as name, address, age or gender can be requested through Form 8.
Electoral registration officers and their assistants will process claims, objections and notices from August 31 to October 29.
The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4, according to the Election Commission's timetable.