Amid controversy over opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's recent allegations of “match-fixing” in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra has clarified that electoral rolls were shared with all major political parties, including the Congress, at every stage of revision as per established procedures.
In a post on social media platform X, the CEO reiterated that electoral rolls are revised annually in a transparent and participatory manner. As part of this process, draft and final versions of the rolls are shared free of cost with all recognised political parties, including the Indian National Congress (INC).
“This standard practice was followed not only in 2024 but also in previous election years — 2009, 2014, and 2019,” the statement said. “The complete electoral roll used for the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections is publicly accessible and can be downloaded from the official website.”
The office further clarified that under Rule 33 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, any individual or party can request a copy of past finalised rolls from the relevant District Election Officer by paying a nominal fee.
The CEO also noted that this statutory process had been communicated on May 22 to a Congress Member of Parliament, who had formally requested electoral roll data that had already been shared during earlier revisions.
Rahul Gandhi, in an article published in some newspapers, accused the ruling BJP of manipulating the Maharashtra elections and warned that similar tactics could surface in upcoming polls, including those in Bihar. He also claimed that bogus voters were included in the voter list and alleged that 76 lakh voters were added after the Lok Sabha election and before the Maharashtra Assembly election. The article also raised questions over the integrity of the Election Commission.
The Election Commission's clarification aims to counter these claims and reaffirm the integrity of the electoral process.
