Mumbai, Sep 22: The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Tuesday alleged that serious irregularities in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state could result in the exclusion of a large number of eligible voters, posing a threat to democratic participation.

In a representation submitted to Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer S. Chockalingam, the party pointed to discrepancies in draft electoral rolls, large-scale deletions of names, and delays in implementation of the revision process.

Led by state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, the delegation claimed that out of Maharashtra’s 9.78 crore registered voters, over 2.06 crore names, accounting for 21.14 per cent of the electorate, have been shifted to the Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate and Others (ASDDO) category.

The party further alleged that nearly 40 lakh voters added during the 2024 elections had been removed over the last 22 months. It also claimed that more than 1.22 crore voters have received notices due to unmapped links with the 2002 electoral rolls or other data-related anomalies, potentially putting genuine voters at risk of exclusion.

The Congress also alleged that duplicate entries continue to exist despite the revision exercise. Citing an example from Nagpur district, the party said around 25,000 duplicate names were found across the Kamthi, Hingna, Ramtek, Umred, Saoner and Katol Assembly constituencies.

It further claimed that the distribution of physical notices to voters was delayed by 15 to 20 days, affecting the effectiveness of the revision process.

According to the party, the ongoing claims and objections period, running from August 31 to September 30, coincides with major festivals such as Janmashtami, Bail Pola and Ganesh Utsav, reducing public participation.

It also expressed concern over the workload on school teachers serving as Booth Level Officers (BLOs), saying election-related duties alongside academic responsibilities could adversely affect both the revision process and educational activities.

In its memorandum, the Congress sought a two-month extension of the revision exercise to enable voters to complete registrations, file Form 6 applications and respond to notices.

The party also demanded broader acceptance of commonly available identity and citizenship documents, including ration cards, MGNREGS job cards, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, school leaving certificates, assessment extracts and gazette notifications for married women.

The party additionally called for mandatory notices and in-person hearings in cases where voter status is challenged through Form 7, arguing that such measures are necessary to uphold principles of natural justice.

It also recommended doorstep hearings for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and medically unfit voters.

Among other demands, Congress sought the appointment of Assistant BLOs at polling booths with more than 600 voters and the daily online publication of booth-wise data relating to Forms 6, 7 and 8 received during the claims and objections period.

The party maintained that unless corrective measures are taken urgently, the Election Commission’s objective of ensuring that no eligible voter is excluded while preventing ineligible entries may be undermined.

Mumbai, Sep 22: Amid protests over paper leaks, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced that Maharashtra will soon launch a recruitment drive for government positions through competitive examinations.

He said a committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary V. Radha is touring the state to engage with students and stakeholders and gather feedback on examination processes.

Speaking to reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting, Fadnavis expressed optimism about the committee’s upcoming recommendations. Addressing student concerns, he noted strong demands to shift the examination format from descriptive back to an objective (multiple-choice) pattern.

He explained that the earlier decision to adopt a descriptive format was based on the Dalvi Committee’s recommendations. Still, the government remains open to student-friendly adjustments following the V. Radha Committee’s final report.

Acknowledging complaints about low vacancy counts in Group ‘C’ posts, Fadnavis assured that the administration aims to recruit record numbers across Group ‘C’ and other cadres. The administration will also soon decide whether to establish an independent recruitment framework for local bodies or conduct those recruitments directly through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC).

Meanwhile, the V. Radha-led panel has been travelling across the state, holding interactions with stakeholders including students. Discussions have covered exam timetables, question paper quality, leak prevention, vacancy announcements, answer keys, exam centre logistics, grievance redressal and candidate ‘opting-out’ policies.

MPSC candidates urged the Task Force to publish and strictly adhere to an annual examination calendar, emphasising the need for procedural stability without frequent policy changes. Pre-declaring minimum vacancies for various cadres was also strongly recommended.

Task Force Chairperson V. Radha announced that competitive examinations will not be conducted online next year. Instead, they will be held using the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheet pattern, with standardised operating guidelines being framed.

To achieve a zero-leak environment, the committee plans to leverage advanced technology across question creation, printing, transport and distribution. It is evaluating an encrypted ‘e-question bank’ system where even item writers remain unaware of which exam their questions will feature in.

Students demanded rigorous quality checks to eliminate errors in question papers and answer keys, alongside standardised evaluation metrics and reviewer audits for answer script verification. Stakeholders also called for a unified online portal for candidate queries and objections, as well as a single-window system for one-time registration and fee payment across all state exams.

Emphasis was placed on ensuring basic amenities at test centres, including clean restrooms, drinking water and proper seating arrangements. Participants advocated for a clear policy on post-selection candidate ‘opting-out’ to avoid seat wastage when a candidate qualifies for multiple posts, along with timely verification of disability and sports quota certificates.

The Task Force is studying operational models of public service commissions across the country, specifically systems in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), to adapt proven best practices for Maharashtra, Radha said.

Mumbai: The police claim to have arrested a thief responsible for stealing a motorcycle from the Dongri area and have recovered the stolen vehicle from his possession.

A case regarding the incident was registered at the Dongri Police Station on September 12. Briefly, the facts are as follows: a Yamaha RX-100 motorcycle (registration number MH01C7815)—owned and used by the complainant, 60-year-old Vishnu Namdev Phadtare—was stolen by an unidentified thief from its parking spot at Podar Building, No. 09, Dr. Maheshwari Road, Dongri, Mumbai.

While investigating the case, Police Officer Jadhav and the Crime Detection Team examined CCTV footage from Sandhurst Road Railway Station (located within the Dongri police jurisdiction). The footage showed two unidentified individuals arriving on a motorcycle and then pushing the complainant’s parked motorcycle away on foot. Subsequently, a technical investigation tracing the suspects’ route led the police to the Shivaji Nagar area of ​​Govandi. Acting on information provided by an informant in that locality, the police identified a man named Firoz—a resident of Plot No. 34—who was found to be in possession of the stolen Yamaha RX-100 motorcycle (MH01C7815). The individual in question—Mohammad Firoz Nasir Khan (32), residing at Plot No. 34, Line B, Room No. 25, Road No. 5, near Ajmeri Masjid, Shivaji Nagar, Govandi, Mumbai—was brought to the police station for further questioning after police visited his residence. During interrogation, he revealed that he, along with his associate Dilshad Shahid Ali Khan (alias Bablu)—residing at Room No. 33, Plot No. 29, Line C, Road No. 05, near Ajmeri Masjid, Shivaji Nagar, Govandi, Mumbai—had stolen the aforementioned motorcycle from near Sandhurst Road Railway Station. The accused, Mohammad Firoz Nasir Khan, has been arrested in connection with the crime and remanded to police custody until September 22. During interrogation, the accused—Mohammad Firoz Nasir Khan (age 32)—admitted to stealing motorcycles from a total of four locations in collusion with his associate, Dilshad Shahid Ali Khan (alias Bablu, age 40); his arrest has resolved the case. Cases registered against him include:
1) Dongri Police Station (Case No. 625/2026, Sections 303(2) & 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita); Pant Nagar Police Station (Case No. 959/2026, Section 303(2) BNS); Koparkhairane Police (Case No. 598/2026, Section 303(2) BNS); and Govandi Police Station (Section 303(2) BNS).

The detection team successfully solved the case under the guidance of Additional Commissioner Shailesh Balkawade, DCP Zone 01 Manish Kalwaniya, and Mr. Tanvir Shaikh (Dongri Police Station) and Sagar Tilekar.