‘Only goal is BJP’s win’: Rahul revives ‘vote chori’ charge over 2 Cr voters excluded in Maha SIR | India News
NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha on Tuesday revived his “vote chori” charge against Bharatiya Janata Party and Election Commission, alleging fresh discrepancies in the voter list in Maharashtra after the special intensive revision of the electoral roll.In a social media post on X, Rahul termed the Election Commission a “vote chori commission” and said that its only goal is “BJP‘s victory and end of India’s democracy.”“The BJP and the ‘Vote Theft Commission’ 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 Congress leader said.He also claimed that 3.9 million new voters were added in Maharashtra between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls and that 91 per cent of names were reinstated after an appeal in West Bengal.“Maharashtra 2024 – Suddenly, 3.9 million 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,” Rahul Gandhi said.“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,” he added.Rahul claimed that 2.07 crore voters had been removed from Maharashtra’s draft electoral roll, pointing out that the figure amounted to roughly one in every five voters.“And now in Maharashtra, 2.07 crore voters have been removed from the draft list – that’s every fifth voter. Lok Sabha 2024: 9.29 crore; Vidhan Sabha 2024: 9.7 crore; SIR 2026: 7.78 crore. Which list was correct?” Rahul said.“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,” he said.According to data released by Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer, out of 9,78,54,049 electors, a total of 7,71,65,562 electors submitted their forms during the enumeration phase of the SIR as of August 17, 2026.The poll body further detailed that among the total registered electors, 34.82 lakh voters (3.56 per cent) were identified as deceased, while 1.54 crore voters (15.78 per cent) were categorised as permanently shifted, absent or listed under other categories. Additionally, 17.67 lakh electors (1.81 per cent) were found to be enrolled at multiple locations across the electoral roll.The election authority noted that recognised political parties actively participated in the exercise, with a total of 3,35,910 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by them across the state.
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Outlining the remaining schedule of the SIR following the publication of the draft electoral roll on August 31, with October 1, 2026, as the qualifying date, officials stated that the rationalisation and rearrangement of polling stations took place on August 24.The window for filing claims and objections will remain open from August 31 to September 30, while the disposal of claims and objections will take place from August 31 to October 29. The process will culminate with the final publication of the electoral roll on November 4.
