Fadnavis Counters Congress, Alleges Hypocrisy in Vote Theft Controversy

Speedy Summary

• Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accused the Congress of hypocrisy over allegations of “vote theft” during elections, citing evidence from BJP MLA Atul Bhosale.
• Bhosale, who defeated former CM and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan in Karad South, alleged that aides and relatives of Chavan cast votes in multiple constituencies.
• The remarks were made in response to Rahul Gandhi’s earlier allegations of “vote theft,” directed against the Election Commission citing issues during the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
• A report by Vote for Democracy (VFD) has flagged serious anomalies in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, including irregularities with VVPATs, Symbol Loading Units (SLUs), and electoral rolls.
• The VFD noted a spike in voter turnout from 58.22% at 5 p.m. to 66.05% by midnight – adding nearly 48 lakh votes – and highlighted closely contested seats where minor irregularities could have influenced results.

Indian Opinion Analysis

Election integrity remains a critical issue for India’s democracy as accusations from both BJP and Congress highlight systemic vulnerabilities that merit examination. While political parties continue to exchange allegations over “vote theft,” autonomous scrutiny such as the VFD report adds further concern about India’s electronic voting system design flaws as 2017. Irregularities like sudden voter turnout spikes suggest gaps requiring transparent review mechanisms.

The implications are profound given the narrow margins witnessed across several constituencies-raising questions not only about technical weaknesses but also fair play on both sides during key electoral processes.Strengthening oversight on technology-driven systems such as EVMs must remain a priority for safeguarding trust in future elections.

Read more: The Hindu