Mumbai, October 9 (Daily Kiran) : Aditya Thackeray, a leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday, alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Review (SIR) process. He called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during a press conference where he supported opposition claims regarding discrepancies in voter records.
During his address, Thackeray raised concerns about missing voter records and cited specific data to back his allegations. He stated, “I am exposing the first major fraud by ‘Golmaal Gyanu’ (referring to the Chief Election Commissioner). There is a discrepancy of 790,000 voters in Maharashtra. The Election Commission released one figure in May and an entirely different figure in August. ‘Golmaal Gyanu’ must explain where these voters have gone. They need to account for the sudden disappearance of 500,000 voters in the state.”
Thackeray also pointed to irregularities in specific assembly constituencies, mentioning that the voter records in the Bhiwandi assembly area do not align with the SIR data. He highlighted that individuals who have voted continuously since 2002 are now receiving notices despite being listed in the draft voter rolls.
“People who have consistently voted since 2002 are receiving notices, even though their names are on the draft voter list. What kind of system is this?” he questioned.
He further scrutinized the ground-level voter verification process, alleging that booth-level officers (BLOs) are not conducting door-to-door verification. Instead, they are reportedly calling individuals to complete their documentation.
Thackeray vowed to raise these issues publicly and reiterated his demand for the Chief Election Commissioner’s removal. He also accused authorities of detaining youth from states like Goa and Rajasthan who are en route to participate in demonstrations.
Expressing confidence in future political dynamics, Thackeray asserted that the current government would face numerous challenges ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. This political turmoil coincides with protests across various parts of the country.
In Pune, candidates for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) staged a protest, while Congress demonstrated in New Delhi, demanding the Chief Election Commissioner’s resignation. To maintain law and order, additional security forces have been deployed in the national capital, with restrictions imposed in several areas.
Commenting on the security situation in Delhi, Thackeray claimed that the country is experiencing an “undeclared emergency,” with people being detained and receiving notices. He reaffirmed Shiv Sena (UBT)’s support for the protests occurring in Delhi, stating that party leader Sanjay Raut is also participating in the movement.
Regarding the student protests in Pune, Thackeray criticized the Maharashtra government for failing to take action against officials involved in paper leak scandals. He also touched upon the ongoing legal disputes related to the Shiv Sena name and election symbol, expressing hope for a fair resolution in the matter.
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