MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s Ex Congress president Nana Patole has called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to address concerns over a sharp rise in voter turnout figures during the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections. The results, declared on November 23, saw the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance emerge victorious, but questions about transparency in the polling process have persisted.
Patole highlighted an anomaly where voter turnout jumped from 58.22% at 5 PM on November 20 to 66.05%, rose by 7.83 percentage, by the end of the counting day at 11.30 pm. He demanded that the ECI explain how such a significant increase occurred after polling hours, calling the discrepancy a “threat to democracy” that warrants immediate clarification.
The final turnout marked the highest participation in the state since 1995, with rural areas leading the way. Karvir in Kolhapur recorded a massive turnout of 84.79%, while urban centers like Mumbai lagged at 52.07%. Analysts suggest this rural dominance proved decisive for tightly contested seats.
As the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition claimed a majority, surpassing the 145-seat threshold, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) managed 46 seats. While the ruling alliance celebrated its victory, the Congress and its allies pointed to irregularities, with Patole urging the ECI to ensure trust in electoral processes.
The ECI has yet to respond to these allegations, but political observers stress the need for transparency in such high-stakes elections to uphold democratic integrity.
Web Team C6N
 to address concerns over a sharp rise in voter turnout figures during the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections){kind=link}