Rahul Gandhi alleges ‘vote theft’ after Maharashtra SIR draft roll

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged “vote theft” after more than 2.06 crore electors failed to figure in Maharashtra's draft electoral roll following the SIR exercise. State election authorities said the exclusions were linked to uncollectable enumeration forms and other reasons

New Delhi: With more than 2.06 crore electors excluded from Maharashtra’s draft electoral roll after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the BJP and the “Vote Chori Aayog” keep changing their tactics and will continue to do so, as their goal remains to ensure the BJP’s victory at any cost.

Gandhi said that, for a government built on “vote chori”, the people are not important, and that is why the BJP neither listens to the people nor obeys their command.

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“The BJP and the ‘Vote Chori Aayog’ keep changing their tactics, and they will continue to do so — the goal remains just one: BJP’s victory at any cost, and the end of India’s democracy,” the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said in a post in Hindi on X.

More than 2.06 crore electors, accounting for 21.14 per cent of Maharashtra’s previous voter base, have not figured in the draft electoral roll following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the Chief Electoral Officer said on Monday.

The draft roll currently has more than 7.71 crore voters, or 78.86 per cent of the previous electorate, comprising 3.95 crore men, 3.75 crore women and 3,087 third-gender voters, according to state election authorities.

As many as 2,06,88,487 people have not been included, as their enumeration forms could not be collected because they were either untraceable, deceased or had shifted residences, they said.

Reacting to the development, Gandhi said, “Maharashtra 2024 — Suddenly, 39 lakh new voters were added between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. I said it then, and I say it today: This was vote theft.”

“Bengal 2026 — Of the names struck off in the SIR, 91 per cent had to be reinstated after appeals. That means nine out of every 10 names were wrongly deleted, and added back only after the election. I said it then, and I say it today: This was vote theft. And now in Maharashtra, 2.07 crore voters have been removed from the draft list — that’s every fifth voter,” Gandhi said.

“Lok Sabha 2024: 9.29 crore; Vidhan Sabha 2024: 9.7 crore; SIR 2026: 7.78 crore. Which list was correct? For a government built on vote theft, the people are not important — that’s why this BJP neither listens to the people nor obeys their command,” the former Congress chief said.

Before the SIR, Maharashtra had 9.78 crore voters, of whom 78.86 per cent made it to the draft roll.

Pune recorded the highest number of uncollectable enumeration forms at 28.6 lakh, followed by Thane with 28.5 lakh, Mumbai Suburban with 26.5 lakh, Nagpur with 14.43 lakh, Nashik with 10.27 lakh and Mumbai City with 9.5 lakh, officials said.

The uncollectable forms relate to voters who were absent or could not be found at their registered addresses, had shifted residences, were deceased, had registered elsewhere or had duplicate entries. The category also includes voters who declined to fill out and submit the enumeration form.

Eligible voters whose names are missing from the draft roll can file claims and objections between August 31 and September 30.

They can seek inclusion by submitting Form 6 along with the required declaration. An objection to an entry can be filed through Form 7, while corrections to details such as name, address, age or gender can be sought through Form 8, it was stated.

Electoral registration officers and their assistants will process claims, objections and notices between August 31 and October 29. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4, according to the Election Commission’s timetable.