Maharashtra Voter List Manipulation: Congress Alleges Fake Enrolments and Vote Theft in Rajura

Allegations of large-scale voter list manipulation have surfaced in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, as Congress leaders claim “vote theft” in the Rajura assembly constituency. Senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, highlighted manipulated electoral rolls and suspicious voter enrolments during the 2024 Assembly elections.

The issue came to light when senior Congress leader Subhash Dhote reported discrepancies in the voter list. Following this, Rajura Tehsildar Omprakash Gond filed a police report naming 20 individuals allegedly linked to fraudulent voter registrations via mobile OTPs.

Despite the FIR, investigations have barely progressed in nearly a year. An Aaj Tak team tracked one individual mentioned in the FIR, who said he received an Election Commission OTP 11 months ago but did not apply for voter registration and had no knowledge of his inclusion in the voter list.

Investigations revealed that many names, phone numbers, and addresses listed were either fictitious or untraceable, with some numbers registered in other states, including Gujarat. This suggests OTPs may have been misused to create fake voter enrolments.

Rajura, traditionally a Congress stronghold, witnessed BJP candidate Devrao Bhogade winning in 2024 by a margin of 3,054 votes. Complaints regarding 18,000 irregular votes led election officials to annul 6,853 votes. However, Congress alleges that over 11,000 additional fraudulent votes were cast, questioning the legitimacy of the final outcome.

Congress leader Sachin Bhoyar said, “Many new voters were enroled within seven days, including names from other states and unusual entries like Vakil, America Rai, and Ayodhya Prasad. Multiple entries under the same name with different addresses suggest a larger conspiracy involving central and local actors.”

Law enforcement faces hurdles due to limited information about the source of fake registrations. Police have contacted the Election Commission for details on IP addresses used in fraudulent votes but have yet to receive a response.

Former MLA Subhash Dhote emphasized, “Our workers reported bogus voter enrolments, leading to Election Commission cancellations. Such acts are intended for vote theft and must be investigated.”

Calls for a thorough probe continue from Congress and local activists, underscoring the need to safeguard electoral integrity in Maharashtra.