Maharashtra
ECI dissent row: Shiv Sena (UBT) says CEC doing ‘illegal work’; BJP backs ‘transparent’ SIR process
Mumbai, Sep 23: As a report of ‘dissent’ within the Election Commission of India (ECI) surfaced, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said that it exposed the “illegal work” done by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in the electoral process.
He claimed that the Opposition tried to raise these concerns several times; however, “no one was ready to listen”.
The controversy emanated from a leading daily publishing an investigative report, claiming that on 14 occasions over a period of 10 months, two Election Commissioners had objected “on record” to steps taken by the Commission.
According to the report, the objections related to a range of decisions and processes, including allegations that the commissioners were kept in the dark about certain matters as well as issues concerning the addition of new voters and deletion of names from electoral rolls.
Speaking to media, Raut said, “This is a big revelation. We have been repeatedly saying these things on public platforms. Now, this has been exposed. Two members of the Election Commission — Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi — have done the biggest work to save democracy. Gyanesh Kumar is doing illegal work within the Election Commission and outside as well.”
“How these people, how Amit Shah won the elections in West Bengal and Bihar, has now come to light. They won with the help of Gyanesh Kumar’s criminal activities. The changes made in Form 6 regarding SIR are illegal; this is what the two Election Commissioners are saying. But objections were raised, complaints were made, yet no one is ready to listen,” he said.
Hitting back at Raut, BJP MLA Ram Kadam said that the Opposition has the right to ask questions; however, it is essential to understand that the Election Commission is a constitutional institution and the SIR process is transparent before commenting on the same.
“The Election Commission is a constitutional institution. We have to understand the importance of SIR. Similar names are mentioned 10 times in the list; fake names should be removed, and genuine voter names shall be included,” Kadam said.
“This is what the SIR is about. The Opposition wants to play blame games on this simple matter. Should a person who is declared dead be included in the voter list? Why should it be so?” he asked.
Calling it a “very transparent” process, the BJP MLA said, “If a person is listed multiple times, then they should be removed. Politics is about criticism and blaming the other person; that’s natural. But removing the counterfeit names cannot be a political issue. Anyone who calls it a political issue has the wrong intention. Should bogus voting continue?”
“Does Sanjay Raut want the bogus voters to continue to remain in the voter list? What would Sanjay Raut support? The names that have come up more than once should remain, or should they be removed?” he asked.
Kadam asserted that people who are against removing the fake names do not have clear intentions. “Every person can vote once, isn’t that the rule? Then why do they want the fake names to remain? Can Sanjay Raut answer that?” Kadam added.
The ECI, however, rejected the daily’s report and said that every officer in the institution is “fully authorised” to offer suggestions for improving the electoral system, while underlining that several “unanimous decisions” have been taken by the poll body in recent months.
The Commission said that differing views, observations, and suggestions are a normal part of deliberations within any institution and pointed out that the decision-making process involves not only the three Election Commissioners but also officials across the organisation.
The poll panel said it has introduced around 40 new initiatives and undertaken several electoral reforms, including electoral roll revision, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), across the country, with the agreement of all authorised officers.
Maharashtra
Man steals gold chain from Mumbai jewellery shop posing as customer, arrested in Delhi; stolen item recovered.

On November 15, 2025, within the jurisdiction of the Kandivali Police Station, an unidentified individual entered ‘Padmavati Jewellers’—located on Mathuradas Road, Kandivali West, Mumbai—posing as a customer. Under the pretext of trying on a gold chain weighing 43.2 grams, the individual took the item, stepped out of the shop, and fled. The complainant, 50-year-old Priti Deepak Sakariya, filed a report. A case was registered at the Kandivali Police Station (Case No. 878/2025) under Section 305(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). During the investigation, the investigating officer, Sandeep Gorde, and his team examined CCTV footage from the scene and the surrounding area. They managed to obtain the Aadhaar card details and mobile number of the suspect who had entered the shop. Although the mobile number was found to be inactive and there was no initial information regarding the suspect’s whereabouts, the team utilized technical investigation methods to track him down. He was subsequently taken into custody in the Uttam Nagar area of New Delhi. During interrogation, the accused revealed that he had hidden the stolen gold chain at his home; the item was subsequently recovered. The accused is currently in police custody. Investigations are ongoing to determine if he has committed similar offenses in the past. The arrested accused is Satish Kumar Krishan Prasad Keshari, aged 42, with no specified occupation, residing at RZB-17, Mahendra Park, Uttam Nagar, Dwarka District, New Delhi. The police are conducting further investigation into the matter. The case was investigated under the instructions of DCP Sandeep Ghuge.
Maharashtra
Objection Even to the Birth of Muslim Children? Political Controversy Over Somaiya’s Remarks, Demand for a Population Control Committee.

Mumbai : BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has raised objections regarding the birth rate of Muslim children in Mumbai. Expressing concern over these figures, he claimed that by 2051, the Muslim population could surpass that of the majority community—the Hindus. On the platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Somaiya stated that for every three Hindu children born, two Muslim children are born. He noted that over the past five years, 336,525 Hindu children and 220,754 Muslim children were born in Mumbai. Somaiya further stated that he has requested Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to establish a ‘Demographic Balance Committee’ to prevent Mumbai from becoming a “Muslim Mumbai.” In his tweet, he also alleged a conspiracy to transform Mumbai into a “Muslim Mumbai” and, citing deep concern over the birth rate of Muslim children, urged the Chief Minister to form a committee to implement population control measures.
Maharashtra
Major Gadchiroli Police Operation Against Maoists, Hidden Explosives Recovered

The Maoist ideology has now been eradicated from the Gadchiroli district, and its residents are finally free from the terror that once loomed over them. In the past, Maoists would use various weapons and explosive materials to threaten security forces and carry out subversive activities. Taking advantage of remote, forest-covered areas situated along state borders, they would prepare these materials and bury them underground in secret locations. Their objective was to use these stockpiles to launch attacks on security forces during specific periods—such as ‘Naxal weeks’—or throughout the electoral process. Taking decisive action against this threat, the Gadchiroli Police successfully recovered these hidden materials on November 4, 2026.
According to details, the Gadchiroli Police received intelligence that Maoists had concealed explosives in the forest area of ’Tavve,’ which falls under the jurisdiction of the Garapatti Police Station. Acting on this information, and under the guidance of Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) M. Ramesh, a search operation was launched on November 4, 2026. The operation involved four units from the ‘Special Operation Squad’ (covering Gadchiroli and Pranhita) and two teams from the ‘Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad’ (BDDS). During a search operation conducted by the ‘Special Operation Squad’ (SOS) and the ‘Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad’ (BDDS) in a forested area, the following items were recovered from the site: 1) 11 pressure cookers (intended for use as improvised explosive devices), 2) 3 bundles (100 feet) of Cordtex wire, 3) 3 kilograms of gunpowder, 4) 4 detonators, 5) a 12-volt battery, 6) 250 grams of pyrotechnic powder (used in fireworks), 7) 4 steel containers, 8) 8 bundles of wire, 9) a solar panel, along with other materials linked to Maoist activities.
The operation was successfully executed under the guidance and instructions of Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) M. Ramesh. It was carried out under the supervision of Additional SP (Operations) Kartik Madhera, Additional SP Shri Gokul Raj G., Additional SP Aheri (Pranhita) Harshvardhan B.J., and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Operations) Sunil Oike. Personnel from the ‘Special Operation Squad’ (Gadchiroli and Pranhita), the Intelligence Cell, and the ‘Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad’ (BDDS) participated in the operation. Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police M. Ramesh has commended the personnel who took part in the operation.
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