‘Free of Cost’: EC counter Rahul Gandhi’s voter roll demand; It is said that the details of elections have been provided in advance. Bharat News

New Delhi: Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recommended the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha on Monday to download the voter role of Maharashtra legislative elections from his website on Monday – “Cost free”.Rahul asked the EC to specify the exact date, by which he would present the voter roll, the Commission said that it maintains the practice of sharing the details with the recognized political parties – the first in the draft phase and after finalizing it.“Electoral rolls are modified every year through a participation practice. During this annual practice, electoral rolls are shared, free from cost, with recognized political parties, including Ink – in the first draft phase and after finalizing it. The EC said in a statement, “A similar practice was done in 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024, and copies of such electoral rolls were then shared with other political parties along with Ink,” the EC said in a statement.“A full copy of the electoral rolls used in the general elections for the Legislative Assembly, Maharashtra -2024 is also available on the website to download independently on the website. Even for the earlier electoral rolls, a copy of the final electoral roll under Rule 33 of the Retainer Rolling Officer Rolls by the District Election Officer. Payment of the prescribed fee. The CEO, Maharashtra, reiterated the statutory post on 22 May 2025, which was an honorable member of Parliament from Inc., who sought a copy of the already provided election role during amendment in 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024.Earlier, Rahul had asked the Election Commission to specify the exact date by which he would present the voter role of the legislative elections in Maharashtra and Haryana.In a social media post on X, Rahul welcomed the EC’s decision and said, “The first step taken by the EC to hand over the voter role.”“Can EC please declare the exact date by which this data will be assigned in digital, machine-elective format?” He asked.The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha also shared a screenshot of a media report claiming that the EC cleared the way to share electoral-rol data for Haryana and Maharashtra from 2009 to 2024, after an assurance given to the Delhi High Court earlier this year.This development came a day after Rahul, in an article, prepared the “phase-by-step manipulation” of the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections.“My article shows how it happened, step by step: step 1: Rig panel for appointment of Election Commission. Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll. 3: Voters vote. Step 4: Target bogus voting where BJP needs to win. 5: Hide evidence, “Gandhi wrote in a post on X.“It is not difficult to see why the BJP was so frustrated in Maharashtra. But rigging is like match-fixing-the side that plays cheating, but damages the institutions and destroys public belief in the result. All concerned Indians should see evidence, judges for themselves, and should seek answers,” Gandhi said.The Leader of the Opposition claimed, “Because Maharashtra’s match-fixing will come in the next Bihar, and then the BJP is losing anywhere.”Later, the pole body issued a statement, in which Rahul’s “match-fixing” allegations were called “completely absurd” in the election process.The EC said, “The whole nation is aware that every election process – which includes electoral rolls, voting and counting preparations – is conducted by government employees, and that in the presence of authorized representatives, formally appointed by political parties/candidates from polling station to constituency level,” EC said.“Any incorrect information is spreading by someone, not only a sign of disrespect towards law, but also brings chaos to thousands of representatives appointed by his own political party and demotives millions of electoral employees during the election, who work unattained and transparent during the election.”“After any adverse decision by voters by voters, the Election Commission is trying to discredit the Election Commission,” said the ECI statement.In the 2024 assembly elections, the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP won 235 out of 288 seats, in which BJP alone acquired 132. Shinde’s army won 57 seats, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP got 41 seats.On the other hand, it was a disappointing show by Maha Vikas Aghdi (MVA), which was expected to have a grand return. Uddhav’s army secured 20 seats, Congress 16 and Sharad Pawar’s NCP won 10 seats.