Maharashtra SIR Row: Rahul, Kharge Allege ‘Vote Chori’ Over 2.06 Crore Voter Exclusions

The political battle over Maharashtra’s electoral rolls intensified on Tuesday, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launching a sharp attack on the Election Commission over the exclusion of more than 2.06 crore electors from the draft rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Gandhi branded the poll panel the “Vote Chori Aayog”, while Kharge called it the “BJP Ki Kursi Bachao Aayog”, alleging that the ruling BJP was changing its tactics to influence electoral outcomes. The Congress leaders claimed that the developments were part of a wider conspiracy to weaken democracy through what they described as “vote chori”.

Gandhi pointed to Maharashtra’s voter numbers between the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, alleging that 39 lakh voters were added during the period. He contrasted this with the latest SIR draft, in which more than 2 crore names do not appear.

Kharge alleged that voters were added in places where it suited the BJP and removed where it did not. He also referred to voter-roll controversies in West Bengal and Delhi, claiming that similar concerns were emerging in Telangana and Karnataka.

The Maharashtra figures have added weight to the political confrontation. According to the state election authorities, the draft roll contains more than 7.71 crore voters, while over 2.06 crore names have not figured in it after the SIR exercise.

The issue is particularly significant in the state’s major urban centres. Thane, Mumbai and Pune account for a substantial share of the forms classified as uncollectable, making the metropolitan belt a key focus of the controversy.

The SIR process has also faced scrutiny after 3,400 voter enumeration forms were found at a private photocopy shop in Kharghar. Five Booth Level Officers were suspended and a case was registered, while an inquiry was ordered into how the forms reached the shop.

With claims and objections open until September 30 and the final electoral roll scheduled for November 4, Maharashtra’s voter list is now at the centre of an intense political and administrative battle. The scale of the exclusions, the allegations surrounding the process and the eventual changes before the final roll will remain closely watched.