More than 60 candidates from the INDIA bloc have filed petitions contesting the Maharashtra election results, alleging serious irregularities. The complaints cite issues like duplicate voting, failure to disclose criminal records and assets, EVM malfunctions, voter bribery, and lack of transparency in the electoral process. The petitioners claim these discrepancies undermined the fairness of the polls and are demanding a thorough investigation. The cases are currently under judicial review.
Mumbai: Members of the INDIA alliance report that approximately 63 election petitions have been filed in various benches of the Bombay High Court in Maharashtra, citing discrepancies in the recently conducted Assembly elections.
While some petitions were submitted earlier, many were filed on the final day, Tuesday, as the 45-day window for filing election petitions, as mandated by law, closed on January 7. The Assembly election took place on November 20, 2024. Candidates must file these petitions themselves according to the established procedure.
Reports indicate that around 25 Congress leaders have filed petitions, including notable figures such as Sangram Thopte, Ramesh Bagve, and Prithviraj Chavan from Western Maharashtra. Eight Congress leaders from Vidarbha Prafull Kudade, Yashonati Thakur, Subhash Dhote, Girish Pandav, Shekhar Shende, Satish Varjurkar, and Santosh Singh Rawat along with four leaders from northern Maharashtra KC Padvi, Balasaheb Thorat, Kunal Patil, and Pravin Chavare have submitted petitions to the Nagpur and Aurangabad benches of the High Court.
Additionally, five Congress leaders from Marathwada have also filed election petitions.
Other petitions have been lodged by candidates from the NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) through advocate Aseem Sarode at the Principal Bench. This group includes Manohar Krishna Madhavi, Prashant Sudam Jagtap, Mahesh Kothe, Naresh Ratan Manera, and Sunil Chandrakant Bhusara, all seeking annulment of the election results in their respective constituencies.
The Maharashtra elections took place in a politically tense environment, with the INDIA bloc and the BJP-led NDA fighting hard for power. The INDIA bloc, a group of opposition parties, aimed to challenge the ruling government’s hold on the state. Despite a high voter turnout, the results heavily favored the ruling coalition, leading the opposition to accuse them of malpractice.
In India, election petitions are a common way for candidates and voters to question election results if they believe the Representation of the People Act, 1951, has been violated. Now, the courts will review the evidence submitted by INDIA bloc candidates to decide if the alleged irregularities justify set-a siding the results.
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