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.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesOutlining 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.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCentre Defers Census In Manipur Amid NRC ProtestsCash Shortage Unlocks ₹17 Crore Fake Note Mystery At PNB’s Saharanpur Currency ChestBihar, Jharkhand End 25-Year Dispute, Sign Sone River Water-Sharing Agreement‘Spreading Jhooth Ki Goonj’: PM Modi Hits Out At Rahul Gandhi, Hails 7.8% GDP Growth In New VideoNepal Flood Crisis: 8,900 Army Personnel Deployed As Search For Missing People ContinuesDelhi Draft Voter Roll Out: 47.7 Lakh Electors Excluded, Claims Allowed Till September 30Akhilesh Yadav’s Big Attack On UP Govt; Divya Mittal Resignation & Meerut Custody RowIndus Waters Row: India Rejects Hague Court’s Jurisdiction, Says Treaty Suspension Will Continue’Dumped 40 KM Away In Delhi’: Teen Allegedly Gang-Raped In Empty Sleeper Bus, Two Accused ArrestedLVM3 Tech Transfer: Adani, Mahindra Among Firms Eyeing ISRO’s ‘Bahubali’ Rocket123Hot PicksNepal floodGrand Canyon floodsWeather tomorrowMumbai milk priceCNG priceGoa anti-conversion billTN milk price hikeMaharashtra SIRDelhi trafficTop TrendingPM ModiDelhi TrafficDan DriscollPakistan Hindu Temple DemolishedUS Iran WarGlenn PhillipsPascal WehrleinConnor McDavidDelhi SIRLebron James
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.
