Rahul Gandhi Flags 39 Lakh 'Ghost Voters' in Maharashtra Polls; EC Responds

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged large-scale discrepancies in Maharashtra’s voter lists, claiming that the number of registered voters exceeded the state’s adult population.

Addressing a joint press conference alongside Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule, Gandhi raised concerns over the sudden addition of 39 lakh voters between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, terming it a serious threat to democracy.

Sharp Rise in Voter Count Triggers Alarm

Gandhi flagged a significant irregularity, pointing out that Maharashtra’s adult population stands at 9.54 crore as per government records, yet the voter list reflects a staggering 9.7 crore registered voters—exceeding the total number of eligible adults.

“In the five years between the 2019 Vidhan Sabha elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, 32 lakh voters were added. However, in just five months between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections of 2024, 39 lakh new voters were registered. Who are these 39 lakh voters? Their number is equivalent to the entire electorate of Himachal Pradesh,” Gandhi questioned.

Our questions to the Election Commission on the Maharashtra elections:

- Why did EC add more voters in Maharashtra in 5 months than it did in 5 years?

- Why were there more registered voters in VS 2024 than the entire adult population of Maharashtra?

- One example among many… pic.twitter.com/K7fOWdnXmV

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 7, 2025

He further alleged that while opposition parties maintained their vote share in the Assembly elections, the additional voters seemingly benefited the BJP. “If the voter list has more names than the actual adult population, it raises a serious red flag. The Election Commission must provide transparency and furnish the complete voter lists for both elections,” he demanded.

Election Commission’s Response

The Election Commission of India (ECI), in a swift response, assured that it would address Gandhi’s allegations in writing.

“The ECI considers political parties as priority stakeholders and deeply values their views, suggestions, and concerns. The Commission will respond in writing with a full factual and procedural matrix uniformly adopted across the country,” the poll body stated.

This is not the first time Congress has raised concerns over the voter list. A delegation from the party had previously met Election Commission officials, demanding access to raw data of the 39 lakh voters added. The poll body, in its defense, cited that between the two elections, there were 48,81,620 additions and 8,00,391 deletions, resulting in a net increase of 40,81,229 electors.

‘A Systematic Undermining of Democracy’

Gandhi warned that the issue extends beyond numbers, alleging that the electoral process itself is being tampered with. “We are now heading towards the complete destruction of the Constitution. But we are committed to protecting it,” he asserted, vowing to escalate the matter legally if the EC fails to provide clarity.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut echoed the concerns, launching a scathing attack on the poll body. “If the Election Commission is alive and not dead, it must answer Rahul Gandhi’s questions. Otherwise, it will be seen as a mere slave of the government,” he remarked, demanding accountability and transparency.

The controversy comes in the backdrop of a stark electoral contrast in Maharashtra. While the opposition-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) won 30 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats, its performance plummeted in the Assembly elections, securing only 49 out of 288 seats. The opposition sees this as further evidence of electoral manipulation.