A BJP MLA has been summoned by the court in connection with a petition challenging his victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. The election petition, filed by Datta Bahirat, who contested against Siddharth Shirole, calls for the nullification of Shirole’s win in the Shivaji Nagar constituency. The petition alleges irregularities in the election process, prompting the court’s intervention. The case could have significant implications for the legitimacy of the election results.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court summoned BJP MLA Siddharth Shirole regarding an election petition that challenges his victory in the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. The petition, filed by Congress leader Datta Bahirat, seeks to declare Shirole’s win as invalid.
In addition to Shirole, the petition names the Election Commission of India (ECI) and several of its officers as respondents, all of whom received summons from the court on the same day.
Shirole, who secured his second term representing Pune’s Shivaji Nagar, is the son of former Member of Parliament Anil Shirole. He won the seat by a significant margin, obtaining 84,695 votes compared to Bahirat’s 47,993.
Bahirat expressed shock at the margin of defeat, describing it as “an impossible thing to happen in this election.” Having previously served as a corporator, he claimed that independent experts had predicted he would lead the race, especially given a strong anti-incumbency sentiment against Shirole.
The petition alleges that Shirole’s election was significantly influenced by manipulations in voter registration and discrepancies in the electoral rolls. It notes that the total number of voters in the constituency as of January 1, 2019, for the Legislative Assembly elections was 305,587, while for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it was reduced to 273,092 a decrease of 32,495 voters.
Bahirat’s plea highlights that there was an increase of 22,025 votes in the 2024 Legislative Assembly elections compared to 2019.
The plea states,
“Shirole’s lead in this election is 36,702. Thus, this fluctuation in votes has materially affected the election,”
An RTI request was submitted to investigate these fluctuations, but no response has been received. Bahirat also alleged that there were last-minute additions to the voters’ list, referencing a visit by Maharashtra Congress leader Nana Patole to the central election body on November 29, 2024, to raise concerns regarding the voters’ data for the Maharashtra polls.
The petition claims that Patole did not receive a “specific answer” to his concerns.
Shirole and the Election Commission will need to respond to various allegations, including claims of EVM tampering. The court is scheduled to hear the petition in March.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
