Connect with us
Monday,19-October-2026
Breaking News

National News

Alleging anomalies, LoP Rahul asks EC to share Maha voters’ list for LS, Assembly polls

Published

on

New Delhi, Feb 7: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of not sharing electoral rolls for the Lok Sabha election 2024 and the voter list for Maharashtra Assembly elections last year, raising suspicion of addition of bogus voters to benefit the BJP and its allies.

Raising doubts of alleged bungling in the voter list for the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election which was won by the BJP-led Mahayuti, LoP Gandhi alleged that as many as 39 lakh voters were added to the voters’ list after the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, just six months before the Assembly elections in November 2024.

Addressing the media in Parliament premises, the Congress MP said, “As many as (the number of) eligible voters in Himachal Pradesh were added to Maharashtra’s voters’ list in six months after the Lok Sabha elections held in May 2024.”

He also indicated that moving court could be a future step if the ECI continues to withhold the crucial information.

The LoP alleged that there was anomaly in figures as there seemed to be more registered voters in Maharashtra than the state government’s own figure for the total adult population.

“The Maharashtra state government data shows that there are 9.54 crore adults in the state and as per ECI there are 9.7 crore registered voters in the state,” LoP Gandhi said, claiming that the adult population data is based on figures of the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

He said either the ECI has lost control of the dynamic list of voters or it is manipulating the list. “What is very clear is that the list in Maharashtra has gone wrong,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi also alleged that all the voters whose names were added to the electoral list of Maharashtra Assembly election favoured the BJP.

LoP Gandhi admitted that a list was given to all candidates before the Assembly election but it was not a centralised list and each candidate had to go to each polling booth to verify it.

Presenting slides to substantiate his allegations, LoP Gandhi said he deliberately used a picture of DR. B.R. Ambedkar in the slides as the Father of the Indian Constitution had once said, “The electoral roll is the most fundamental thing in a democracy.”

Rahul Gandhi also said that apart from addition of new names in Maharashtra the EC deleted many names and shifted voters from one booth to others and most of these were Dalits, Tribals and the minority community.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who was also present in the media briefing, said the EC should answer the questions raised by Rahul Gandhi if it is impartial and if it wants to keep democracy alive.

“If the EC does not reply to the queries, then it will prove that it is dead,” he said, adding that the EC appears to be subservient to the government.

Calling these 39 lakh new names in Maharashtra rolls “floating voters”, he said these names are added to electoral rolls to every state where elections are due.

Seeking a revival of voting on ballot papers, Supriya Sule, leader of NCP(SP), told media persons that some of her party candidates had raised doubts that they did not get the number of votes that were cast in their favour.

The BJP-led Mahayuti won the Maharashtra Assembly election by bagging 235 seats in a 288-member House. The voting turnout was 66.05, the highest since 1995.

Crime

Suspicious passenger apprehended at Delhi Jama Masjid Metro Station after trying to flee during screening

Published

on

Alert personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) apprehended a passenger at Delhi’s Jama Masjid Metro Station after he allegedly attempted to flee when a suspicious object was detected during his baggage screening.

According to the CISF, the incident came to light when the passenger’s baggage was being screened through an X-ray Baggage Inspection System (XBIS). During the examination, personnel noticed a dense and suspicious object on the scanner screen.

Sensing something unusual, the security personnel attempted to examine the matter further. However, the passenger allegedly tried to escape from the screening area, according to CISF.

Displaying promptness and alertness, CISF personnel immediately chased him and apprehended him near the station’s exit gate before he could leave the premises.

A subsequent examination of his belongings led to the recovery of an unidentified semi-solid substance concealed inside a stitched portion of his undergarment, the CISF said.

According to reports, the passenger reportedly claimed to be a non-resident Indian (NRI) residing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Following the recovery, the CISF handed over the passenger, along with his belongings and the suspected substance, to the police for further investigation.

The nature of the semi-solid substance and the reason behind its concealment remain unclear. Police are investigating the matter to establish the identity of the substance and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The CISF’s swift intervention prevented the passenger from leaving the station without further examination.

The force said its personnel remain alert during the screening of passengers and their baggage to ensure compliance with security protocols and prevent any potential threat to metro commuters. Further action in the case will depend on the findings of the investigation, said the police officials.

Continue Reading

Crime

Bihar MLC election: Three FIRs filed against Anant Singh, Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh

Published

on

Amid campaigning for the biennial elections for eight MLC seats on October 23 in Bihar, police have registered three FIRs in connection with alleged violation of election rules during a roadshow in the Mokama Assembly constituency of Patna district.

The roadshow was held on Sunday. The cases have been registered against local MLA Anant Singh and Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh, according to police sources.

Of the three cases, two were registered at Barh police station and one at Mokama police station in Patna district.

The police are investigating the alleged violations and examining the circumstances surrounding the roadshow.

According to police sources, the action followed complaints of violations of the Model Code of Conduct and other applicable regulations during the Member of Legislative Council (MLC) election-related event.

The allegations concern compliance with rules governing political roadshows and public campaigning.

However, the specific allegations against each leader and the legal sections invoked in the FIRs have not yet been independently confirmed.

The registration of the cases has triggered political discussions in the Mokama and Barh areas, where election-related activities have intensified.

During the MLC election period, candidates and political parties are required to comply with the Model Code of Conduct and applicable rules governing public meetings, roadshows, permissions and traffic management.

Authorities can initiate legal action when alleged violations are reported.

However, the filing of an FIR does not establish guilt. The allegations against Anant Singh and Anuj Singh will be subject to investigation and the due process of law.

Police said further action would be taken on the basis of the evidence collected and the findings of the investigation.

Additional details are awaited.

Anant Singh, the JD(U) MLA from Mokama in Patna district, has openly extended his support to Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Singh and is campaigning against his own party’s official nominee, Neeraj Kumar, in the upcoming MLC election.

Anant Singh said his decision to support Anuj Singh stemmed from a personal dispute with Neeraj Kumar. He clarified that his move had nothing to do with his political relationship with the JD(U).

The election for eight Legislative Council seats is scheduled to be held on October 23, with counting of votes and announcement of results set for October 27.

Continue Reading

National News

‘Owaisi, BJP are twins’: Congress MP accuses AIMIM chief of splitting Oppn votes

Published

on

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Monday hit back at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his recent remarks, accusing him of acting as an agent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Tiwari claimed that election results demonstrated how Owaisi’s party had contributed to splitting minority votes, prompting him to describe the AIMIM chief and the BJP as “twin brothers”.

The exchange comes amid political preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, with parties sharpening their positions and trading allegations ahead of the electoral contest.

Addressing a gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur, Owaisi had declared that he would “never make a Nehru, a Gandhi, or a Yadav” his leader. He also stressed the need to provide greater opportunities to young people from the Muslim community.

“Muslim youth have as much potential as people from other communities… However, they are not given a platform,” Owaisi had said, adding that the AIMIM would provide them with opportunities to move forward.

Responding to the AIMIM chief’s remarks, Congress MP Tiwari accused him of working to divide opposition votes in favour of the BJP.

Speaking to media, Tiwari said, “What standing does Owaisi have to even suggest someone like a Gandhi or a Nehru? His sole function, whether intentional or otherwise, is to divide the minority vote at the behest of the BJP. I can say with full confidence that this individual works for the BJP, as evidenced by election outcomes.”

Tiwari further cited electoral results in Maharashtra and Bihar to support his allegations, claiming that the AIMIM’s electoral performance had helped the BJP and its allies by splitting votes that could otherwise have benefited other candidates.

“In Maharashtra, while his party won four seats, it also caused other candidates to lose in 22 constituencies by splitting the vote, ultimately paving the way for a BJP-led government. He did something similar in Bihar … The results clearly show that he operates as an agent for the BJP. Owaisi and the BJP are twin brothers,” he added.

This comes as political parties begin gearing up for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Tiwari also commented on the controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

He argued that protecting citizens’ voting rights was essential and called for a change in government through the democratic process.

“The government in the country must be changed. The nation’s economic situation and foreign policy have both failed. The public wants relief from inflation and unemployment, and a change in government is essential to safeguard the right to vote. We want to change the government democratically through elections, and for that right to vote must be safeguarded,” Tiwari said.

Continue Reading

Trending