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Rahul Gandhi Blasts; "70 Lakh Voters Added in Maharashtra Between...."

Speaking to the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, Gandhi raised several questions including the integrity of the Maharashtra polls held in November last year.

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Rahul Gandhi Blasts; "70 Lakh Voters Added in Maharashtra Between...."

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Monday (3rd February)  raised a strong allegation saying that about 70 lakh voters, which is equivalent to Himachal Pradesh's population, were added to Maharashtra’s electoral roll between the Lok Sabha and state election. Gandhi demanded the Election Commission to furnish data to opposition parties in the state.

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Speaking to the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, Gandhi raised several questions including the integrity of the Maharashtra polls held in November last year. This election came as a shock for the MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi), the opposition united where BJP-led Mahayuti won a thumping  majority. Gandhi also said he was confident the EC would not provide the details sought by the opposition parties.

With a copy of the Constitution in hand, his new trademark in the parliament,  Gandhi said this is supported by the "vote of our people and without a secure vote, the Constitution means nothing".

"Now, I want to bring to the notice of this House some data about Maharashtra polls. Between the Lok Sabha polls, which the INDIA bloc won, and the assembly elections, the number equivalent to the population of Himachal was added to the voting rolls of Maharashtra," Gandhi told the House, whilePrime Minister Narendra Modi was present.

Gandhi claimed that the difference between the Lok Sabha polls in June and the state polls in November was that almost 70 lakh voters. 

"More voters were added in Maharashtra in five months between the Lok Sabha and assembly polls than in five years," the former Congress president said.

As an example, he said that in a building in Shirdi, about 7,000 new voters were added after the Lok Sabha polls.

"I am not making an allegation, I am only saying that there is something problematic that the population equivalent to that of Himachal was added in Maharashtra through magic after the Lok Sabha polls," Gandhi said.

"We have requested the Election commission repeatedly that we are not making an allegation, 'give us the Lok Sabha voters' list and that of the Vidhan Sabha...we are saying to the EC that 'please give us names and addresses of voters of all booths from the Lok Sabha elections and the assembly elections', so we can calculate who these voters are," Gandhi said. He added the new voters have been added mostly in constituencies where the BJP eventually won. 

Rahul Questioned Change in EC Appointment

Gandhi said that the Election Commissioner was used to be chosen by a committee comprising the prime minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the chief justice but the chief Justice was removed from the panel by the government.

On it Gandhi remarked--"This raises a crucial question for the Prime Minister: why was this change made? In a few days, I will be attending a meeting with Mr. Amit Shah and Mr. Modi, which seems like an uneven playing field, with a 2:1 ratio. What's the point of my attendance? Am I merely there to rubber-stamp what Modi ji and Amit Shah ji say?" 

The presence of the Chief Justice would have led to a more balanced discussion, Mr. Gandhi said, terming  the change to remove the CJI to be a deliberate strategy.

"Furthermore, the Election Commissioner was replaced just before the Lok Sabha elections, two election commissioners were appointed. To safeguard the Constitution, the entire Opposition is requesting data on the Maharashtra Election," Gandhi said.

Congress Rahul Gandhi