The political climate in Maharashtra has been jolted by sensational revelations from senior Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders Sharad Pawar and Sanjay Raut, who claim they were approached with offers to manipulate Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) ahead of the November 2024 assembly elections. The allegations have drawn sharp reactions from political circles and renewed scrutiny of the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) neutrality.

Sharad Pawar Claims EVM Tampering Proposal
On June 18, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar told reporters in Nagpur that two unidentified individuals met him in Delhi prior to the state polls, offering to “manage” EVMs to secure 160 of Maharashtra’s 288 assembly seats for the MVA. Pawar said he informed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi about the offer, but both leaders refused in the interest of fair elections. Pawar did not disclose the identities or affiliations of the individuals involved.

Sanjay Raut Backs Pawar’s Account
A day later, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut corroborated Pawar’s claims, adding that the same individuals approached party chief Uddhav Thackeray on June 19 with an offer to secure 60–65 seats for Shiv Sena (UBT) through EVM tampering. Raut, who was present during the meeting, said Thackeray rejected the proposal, citing the party’s democratic mandate after winning 30 Lok Sabha seats. He accused the individuals of threatening to manipulate both EVMs and voter lists to ensure the MVA’s defeat, as the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance was preparing for victory.

Rahul Gandhi Raises Election Integrity Concerns
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has echoed these concerns, alleging collusion between the ECI and the BJP. He cited a sharp rise in voter numbers and missing CCTV footage as evidence of possible manipulation. The MVA’s poor performance—winning just 50 assembly seats despite a strong Lok Sabha showing of 16 Congress, 10 NCP, and 20 Shiv Sena (UBT) seats—has fueled further suspicion among opposition ranks.

BJP and ECI Reject Allegations
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the accusations as a “scripted drama” and challenged Pawar and Gandhi to prove their claims in court. The ECI also labelled the allegations “baseless” and requested a sworn affidavit from the opposition leaders to substantiate their charges.

Nationwide Debate on EVM Credibility
As the MVA gears up for statewide protests demanding transparency, the controversy has amplified nationwide debates over the credibility of EVMs and voter lists. Opposition leaders warn that such doubts, if left unresolved, could undermine public trust in India’s electoral process.

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In a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi has accused the poll body of working in tandem with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to commit large-scale voter fraud in the 2024 Lok Sabha and subsequent Assembly elections. Speaking at a rally in Bengaluru on Friday, Gandhi claimed that electoral malpractice in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Bihar tipped results in favour of the BJP, calling it nothing less than “the murder of democracy.”

Maharashtra and Karnataka at the Centre of Allegations

Gandhi alleged that Maharashtra saw an “unbelievable” surge of one crore new voters in the Assembly polls held just four months after the Lok Sabha elections. “In the Lok Sabha elections, these voters were absent. They magically appeared in the Assembly polls — and that gave BJP the victory,” he charged.
In Karnataka, he said Congress had expected to win 16 Lok Sabha seats but secured only nine, blaming what he called “fraudulent schemes” for the setback.

Attack on Constitutional Institutions

The Congress leader accused the BJP of systematically eroding constitutional institutions, including the ECI. “Every Indian citizen has the right to vote. The BJP and Election Commission are destroying the Constitution,” he declared. Gandhi alleged that the poll body had also blocked access to voter data websites in states like Rajasthan and Bihar to conceal irregularities.

Demand for Complete Poll Records

Gandhi called on the ECI to release full videography of polling processes from the past 10–15 years, along with machine-readable voter lists. “That will be the smoking gun proving votes were stolen across the country,” he said, insisting that the ECI belongs to the nation, not to any political party.
He also cited a six-month Congress investigation in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura Assembly constituency that allegedly found over one lakh fraudulent votes, including duplicates, fake addresses, and even 68 voters registered at a brewery.

ECI and BJP Hit Back

The ECI has asked Gandhi to submit a sworn affidavit with evidence of voter roll manipulation. Gandhi dismissed the need, saying, “My word is my oath.” The Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer has given him a deadline to submit detailed proof.
BJP leaders mocked the allegations, with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis quipping, “His chip is stolen, his hard disc corrupted.” The party accused Gandhi of “selective outrage” to mask electoral defeats.

Nationwide Debate on Electoral Integrity

The controversy has reignited a national debate over the fairness of India’s elections. Observers say the ECI’s response to Gandhi’s allegations will be crucial in restoring public confidence in the democratic process.

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