In the wake of their defeat in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates have raised concerns about the integrity of the voting process. Several losing candidates, particularly from the Shiv Sena (UBT), have questioned the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and have decided to seek verification of EVMs and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) in their constituencies.
During a meeting at his Mumbai residence, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray was briefed on the party’s lackluster performance in the polls. The results saw the Mahayuti coalition (Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP) secure a decisive victory with 230 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly, while the MVA managed only 46 seats. The Sena (UBT) emerged as the largest opposition party, winning 20 seats, followed by Congress with 16 seats, and the NCP (led by Sharad Pawar) securing 10.
Congress leader Arif Naseem Khan, who lost the Chandivali seat in Mumbai, shared that he, along with other candidates, is seeking a verification of the EVMs, citing multiple complaints from party workers about potential tampering. Thackeray also acknowledged these concerns, confirming that several party members had raised doubts about the voting machines’ integrity. As per a Supreme Court order from April 2024, candidates who finish in second or third place in their constituencies can apply for the verification of up to 5% of the EVMs and VVPATs. The verification, conducted by a team of engineers, is intended to check for tampering or modifications in the machines. A formal request for this verification must be made within seven days of the result declaration, and candidates will bear the cost of Rs 41,000, refundable if tampering is found.With several candidates reporting discrepancies between votes polled and votes counted, there is growing concern over the fairness of the election process among the opposition ranks.