Uddhav and Raj Thackeray demand action on irregularities in Mumbai electoral rolls

Mumbai, Nov 24 (IANS) Shiv Sena-UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray in a joint letter have appealed to the Maharashtra State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare to take immediate steps to address serious irregularities and confusion in the electoral rolls published for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. 

They have also demanded that the State Election Commission should give 21-day period for suggestions and objections or cancel the elections and hold it only rectifying the electoral rolls.

Both leaders said that recent voter lists have shown alarming inconsistencies and frequent changes, which risk undermining the transparency and integrity of the election process.

In their joint letter, they note that the final revised voter list for BMC elections, dated October 30, 2025, was not published quickly or clearly, leaving voters and political parties without key information.

They questioned the delay in updates to women's supplementary electoral rolls and asked why the State Election Commission has failed to clarify important procedural matters.

Shiv Sena-UBT leader and former Minister Aditya Thackeray told reporters that the confusion was created by new names being added and old names being removed or altered, often without clear notification or adherence to established norms.

He expressed concern about the appearance of duplicate voters and allege that more than 900,000 duplicate entries have been identified in the electoral rolls.

Citing the joint letter by Thackeray cousins, he also added that how these discrepancies will be corrected before the elections, demanding strict scrutiny of the processes used for updating and verifying voter names.

Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have also criticised the State Election Commission for failing to establish clear mechanisms and technical protocols for voter registration in Mumbai, leading to confusion and potential disenfranchisement.

"Is there no technical wisdom left, or is it a case of 'less intelligence, more confusion?", they asked pressing authorities to ensure that genuine voters are protected and all irregularities are addressed swiftly.

Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray also urged the State Election Commission to halt further voter list updates until the issues are resolved, and to inform the public about the steps being taken to guarantee a transparent election.

They warned that unless action is taken, Mumbai's democratic reputation will suffer, and challenged officials to demonstrate their ability to safeguard the citizens' electoral rights.

The Thackeray duo have called for accountability, urging the State Election Commission to restore order and faith in the election system.

--IANS

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