Two Views, Leader of the Opposition (LoP Rahul Gandhi) & Chief Minister, Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis

A recent issue that has re-emerged after a year of the Lok Sabha 2024 polls is the issue of non-transparency around the conduct, polling and data release of the November 2024 Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha Elections. Rahul Gandhi’s article was published on June 7, 2025 and received Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s multiple responses. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has, relatively, not been at the forefront of rebutting the allegations.

Rahul Gandhi writes: Match-fixing Maharashtra, June 8, 2025

Devendra Fadnavis replies to Rahul Gandhi: Rejected by people, now he rejects people’s mandate, June 9, 2025

One can discuss many of the issues raised (including the questionable claim that the NDA made the process of appointment to the Election Commission of India (ECI) “more transparent (!!!)” given that the ruling coalition in the Centre hurriedly brought in a law to nullify a Supreme Court judgement of November 2023 including the Chief Justice of India (CJI) in the selection process. But here, this note will discuss the elementary lapses (or anomalies) in data presented by the Chief Minister, Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis.

In a nutshell, he has been selective and faulty and preferred to keep mum on data points inconvenient to the ruling party.

Dr. Pyara Lal Garg, Former Dean, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh is the expert who provided the basis for mathematical extrapolations is one of the key experts with Vote for Democracy and he has probed both articles. VFD presents this preliminary data:

1. First of all, the issues mostly emerge out of the failure of the ECI to act as per its own law and procedures.
2. Thereafter, the refusal to put in public domain the procedural steps of registering new electors form 6 and deletion of names on complaint by others on Form 7.
3. Safe custody of the voting apparatus.
4. The amendment of rules to the detriment of transparency, fairness and impartiality.

Dr Garg: Devendra Fadnavis IE June 8, 2025 has been trying to play with figures which are not sourced from ECI official records

1. LOK SABHA

2014-19 Lok Sabha: Increase in Voters is 78.78 lakh Voters NOT 63 lakh

2009-2014 Lok Sabha: 78.45 lakh Voters were added NOT 75 lakh Voters

2004-2009: One Crore Voters were Added (correctly stated). However the exact figure is 99.42 lakh Voters being added

2019-24 Lok Sabha Elections: 40.80 Lakh Voters were added

Source 1: Election Commission of India

Source 2: Maharashtra Government website

Source 3: Maharashtra Government website

Devendra Fadnavis: “Between 2014 and 2019, 63 lakh new voters were added; from 2009 to 2014, 75 lakh new voters were added; and from 2004 to 2009, 1 crore new voters were added. This means that nothing extraordinary happened in 2024”.

Would the CM of Maharashtra Like to give his sources?

2. VIDHAN SABHA

In year 2004 (from Lok Sabha 2004 to Vidhan Sabha elections 2004) increase in voters is by 29.53 lakh

In year 2009 (from Lok Sabha 2009 to Vidhan Sabha elections 2009)  increase in voters is by 30.14 lakh

In year 2014 (from Lok Sabha 2014 to  Vidhan Sabha elections 2014) increase in voters is by 27.29 Lakh

In year 2019 (from Lok Sabha 2019 to Vidhan Sabha elections 2019) increase in voters is by 11.61 Lakh

In year 2024 (from Lok Sabha 2024 to Vidhan Sabha elections 2024) increase in voters is by 40.80 lakh

Source: ECI Statistical Reports for concerned years concerned house

Would the CM of Maharashtra care to give his sources?

3. Polling Percentages November 2024, Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha Elections

The hike in the last hour of polling is a hike in percentages from 5.82 percent per hour to 7.83 percent per hour it is 2 percent hike: This hike amounts to a hike in 65.97 lakh Votes in absolute numbers (Extrapolated from ECI data).

Even if the same number is divided between all 1,00,186 booths the same turns out to more than 65 votes per hour  whereas normal polling per hour on average including brisk polling is 56.5 votes.

Is the figure by DF not a high number?

Moreover, one fails to understand that if the percentage of voting figures at 5 pm could be uploaded by ECI at 6.14 pm then who or what prevented the ECI to upload the Percentage of Voter Turn-Out at 6 PM? The ECI has uploaded the Voter Percentages of 11.45 pm uploaded at 11.53 pm.

Devendra Fadnavis in his lengthy and convoluted defence has failed to explain why in the simultaneously held second phase of Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha polling, these (questionable) phenomena were not observed in which polls there was only only a 0.86 percent increase between 5 pm and 11.45 pm on day of polling. Incidentally, the NDA lost the elections there!

Fadnavis is factually wrong when he has quoted the “5 PM figure of the second phase of Lok Sabha 2024 polls for Maharashtra at 5.00 pm”. The fact is that the ECI has not uploaded the State-wise voter turnout on the day of polling till date. ECI has only published and aggregate 60.96 percent of polling for all the Parliamentary Constituencies taken together, Even the hiked figure of 66.71 percent  uploaded on 30.04.2024 is for all the constituencies and not for Maharashtra alone.

Fadnavis is factually wrong because the ECI has to date never declared the 5 pm figure of voting: in the Lok Sabha Polls, the first release of figures by the ECI was for 7 pm or after that till 7.45 pm.

Devendra Fadnavis: “The claim that the voting percentage suddenly increased is a huge joke. To understand how the percentage rose in the last hour, one must look at the hourly voting rate. The average polling rate throughout the day was 5.83 per cent per hour. So what new information are you revealing by stating there was a 7.83 per cent increase in the last hour? Is Rahul Gandhi unaware that 5 pm to 6 pm is also a polling hour, and everyone present in the queue at the booth by 6 pm is allowed to cast their vote? ”

Fadnavis’ Imagination not Facts:

The number of Polling Booths in Maharashtra are 100186 and the figure quoted by DF in the non fact checked article in Indian Express of 1.427 Lakh is creation of his own design.

Fadnavis is again wrong on Votes polled after 6 pm: the ECI, has to date, never released any such figure (quoted by Fadnavis) at 1770867—If Fadnavis is in possession of data that is NOT in the public domain, that speaks volumes for the both the Institution in question (ECI) and the Chief Minister. He has further distributed the total hiked votes between all the polling stations equally which is against all the statistical principles by any stretch of the imagination.

Fadnavis has failed to explain that if as per his own calculation all the voters standing in queue had cast vote with in 18 minutes 23 seconds after the end of scheduled time then why did ECI not post those final figures of 11.45 PM?

Who is playing with figures and transparency, Fadnavis or ECI?

Fadnavis has conspicuously (maybe intelligently) kept mum on the fact raised by Rahul Gandhi that the Number of Voters are even more than the TOTAL adult population of 18 and 18+ !!!

Fadnavis has wrongly given the Figures of Young Voters in Maharashtra at 2646608 contrary to the figure given by ECI which is 22.21 LAKHS as on 20.11.2024 vide No. ECI/PN/163/2024.

Devendra Fadnavis: Moreover, this didn’t just happen in Maharashtra. In the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout figure given at 5 pm was 60.96 percent, which was finalised at 66.71 percent the next day. The increase was 5.75 percent. But are you going to hide that fact because you won that election? Previously, the final voting figures would come late at night; now, the 5 pm figure is released, and the final figure comes the next day. Here, Rahul Gandhi claims that the increased voter count was limited to 12,000 polling stations across only 85 constituencies, and that most of these seats went to the NDA’s tally. The calculation for this is also in the Loksatta article from December 3, 2024. The number of total votes cast after 6 pm was 17,70,867. Based on the day’s average voting rate, 97,103.32 votes were cast per minute across 1.427 lakh polling stations. Therefore, if we calculate the average for the votes cast after 6 pm, the additional time taken was only 18 minutes and 23 seconds.

The basic issues for citizens, Vote for Democracy still are:

1. Videography of Voters in queue after scheduled poll time must be released and made public by the ECI
2. Videography of the number of slips distributed and announced for those standing in queue must be released and made public by the ECI
3. Videography of number of votes polled at the end of scheduled poll time must be released and made public by the ECI
4. Videography of announcement of votes polled at close of polls must be released and made public by the ECI
5. Videography of sealing and transport of EVMs must be released and made public by the ECI
6. Videography of custody of machines all the time must be released and made public by the ECI
7. Proof of Form 6 and 7 all procedure adopted as laid down for addition of voters and deletion of voters must be released and made public by the ECI.

Courtesy: Indie Journal

The post VFD’s rebuttal of the Fadnavis’ Claims on Electoral Manipulation Allegations appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The VFD report reveals a disturbing trend of manipulated voter turnout data, particularly in Haryana, where the official voter turnout spiked by 6.71% between October 5 and 7, 2024—a shift equating to an additional 1.3 million votes. This surge is both unusual and unexplained, raising suspicions of data manipulation to favour certain political parties. Key districts, including Panchkula and Charkhi Dadri, experienced extraordinary turnout increases of over 10%, all of which disproportionately benefited the BJP in closely contested constituencies. These irregularities call into question the veracity of the official turnout figures and their role in influencing the election results. (See table 5 of the report)

Moreover, the ECI has failed to release raw vote counts, again, instead opting to publish district-wise turnout percentages. This deliberate opacity prevents any meaningful scrutiny of the electoral process. Alarmingly, last-minute revisions to the voter turnout figures just hours before counting on October 8 suggest an attempt to hide discrepancies and manipulate the results. Such actions undermine the transparency and legitimacy of the entire process.

Further troubling findings from the report suggest a mismatch in the EVM vote tallies at various booths, notably in regions where the BJP secured narrow victories. The hike in EVM votes in areas such as Panchkula (10.52%) and Charkhi-Dadri (11.48%) after the polls raised serious red flags. In addition, the BJP’s strong performance in just 10 districts, where it won 37 out of 44 seats, contrasted starkly with its poor showing in the remaining 12 districts, where it secured only 11 out of 46 seats. These discrepancies are not easily explained by local issues or voter preferences, raising concerns about the manipulation of voting data to favour the ruling party. (See table 23 and 24 of the report)

The report also traces a pattern of irregularities extending back to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where similar unexplained voter turnout increases were observed. The consistency of such data manipulation raises doubts about the Election Commission’s ability to conduct fair and free elections, casting a shadow over its credibility.

In Haryana, the manipulated voter turnout figures are believed to have directly impacted the results, especially in 17 constituencies where the margin of victory was under 5,000 votes. In these tight races, the inflated voter turnout figures helped secure BJP victories, while smaller parties like the INLD (Indian National Lok Dal) saw minimal benefits. In total, the report suggests that the turnout manipulation likely contributed to the BJP’s win in at least 24 additional seats across Haryana.

Similar irregularities have been alleged in the Jammu & Kashmir elections, where last-minute jumps in voter turnout percentages further fuel concerns about the overall fairness of the election process. The widespread nature of these discrepancies calls into question the legitimacy of the entire electoral process in both states. (See table 30 of the report)

The findings of this report, coupled with the overall lack of transparency and consistency in electoral data, raise serious questions about the integrity of the electoral process in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir. VFD calls for an immediate and independent investigation into these allegations. The lack of transparency, data manipulation, and inconsistencies in the reported turnout figures demand urgent action to restore public trust in the electoral system. The ECI must release all raw data, explain the anomalies, and take responsibility for these discrepancies to ensure such manipulation does not occur in future elections.

Why was this exercise important?

This exercise was particularly timely as the upcoming state elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra will soon test the transparency and integrity of India’s electoral system. As citizens prepare to vote, it is essential that every vote is accurately counted and reported. By focusing on raw vote counts rather than percentages, the call for transparency ensures that the true outcome of the election is clear and verifiable. Vote counts, which are exact and definitive, eliminate the risks associated with rounding errors or vote leaks that percentages can sometimes obscure. The publication of real, raw vote counts empowers voters and election observers to trust that the process reflects the will of the people, without distortion.

Moreover, the use of Forms 17-A and 17-C, which provide real-time and final tally records of votes, serves as a safeguard against discrepancies or manipulation, offering candidates and citizens alike the tools to verify the accuracy of election results. This call to action emphasises the need for consistency and transparency, ensuring that all votes are recorded and counted faithfully.

In light of the forthcoming elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra, this initiative is even more critical. These elections offer a chance to reinforce the integrity of the democratic process, ensuring that voters’ voices are heard and respected without interference. Transparency across all stages of voting—from booth-wise queue data to VVPAT verification—is vital for fostering public trust in the electoral system. The call for video evidence and polling officer accountability further strengthens this transparency, ensuring that every step of the process is open to scrutiny.

As highlighted in the VFD report, the integrity of elections hinges on transparent practices that prevent tampering, miscounts, and data manipulation. With the stakes high in these state elections, ensuring a clear, accurate, and transparent voting process is essential not only for the credibility of the elections but also for the health of India’s democracy.

VFD’s finding in Lok Sabha Elections 2024

Notably, VFD had also released its detailed report on the conduct of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections during an event on July 22, 2024 at the YB Chavan Centre in Mumbai. The report, titled “Report: Conduct of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 – Analysis of ‘Vote Manipulation’ and ‘Misconduct during Voting and Counting’,” highlighted alleged election malpractices, including discrepancies in EVM vote counts, vote manipulation, and misconduct by the Election Commission of India and Returning Officers. It revealed a troubling 5 crore “dumped” votes, with the vote hike disproportionately benefiting the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), raising doubts about the integrity of the election process.

Vote for Democracy (VFD)

According to its website, Vote for Democracy (VFD) is a Maharashtra-level citizens’ platform comprising individuals and organizations, established in 2023. The organization is working to ensure voter registration, raise voter awareness, and promote hate-free elections where accountability and transparency are paramount.

The Executive Summary of Report can be accessed here.

The Full Report can be accessed here.

Related:

Vote for Democracy (VFD) releases report on the conduct of General Election 2024

925 Complaints of Booth capturing in Elections 2024

TODAY, is WORSE than the ‘EMERGENCY!’

The post VFD’s draft reports points to “electoral manipulation and irregularities” in Haryana and J&K 2024 assembly elections appeared first on SabrangIndia.