Congress Raises Concerns over Discrepancy in Voter Turnout in Maharashtra Assembly Elections

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Nana Patole has written to the Chief Electoral Officer of the state, raising serious concerns over the voter turnout discrepancies in the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024. In a letter dated November 28, Patole highlighted alleged irregularities in the voting percentages reported by the Election Commission.

According to the Election Commission’s data, voter turnout on November 20, 2024, stood at 58.22% by 5 PM. However, by 11:30 PM the same night, the turnout had surged to 65.02%, and by November 21, it was reported as 66.05%. This 7.83% increase accounts for approximately 7.6 million additional votes, raising questions about the accuracy of the reported figures.

Patole questioned the logistics of such a dramatic increase, pointing out that if each vote takes around one minute to cast, the sudden rise appears implausible. "There should have been long queues at polling stations post-5 PM to accommodate such a spike. How many constituencies experienced such queues?" he asked, urging the Election Commission to release CCTV footage from polling stations as evidence.

The Congress leader also expressed concern over the Election Commission's failure to hold a press conference to explain the surge, a deviation from its usual practice. "The absence of a timely explanation raises doubts about the transparency and impartiality of the electoral process," Patole said.

Calling the surge "illogical and suspicious," Patole emphasized that the integrity of the electoral process is fundamental to a healthy democracy. He urged the Election Commission to provide a clear and evidence-backed explanation to dispel public doubts. Congress has demanded that the Election Commission address these concerns promptly and ensure transparency to uphold public trust in the electoral process.