‘Who Is The Election Commission Working For?’
Reiterating that election irregularities amounted to a "murder of democracy," Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray vowed that his party would continue exposing the BJP's alleged misuse of authority
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday leveled serious allegations of large-scale irregularities in the ongoing Maharashtra civic elections, claiming they amounted to a “murder of democracy.” Addressing a press briefing as voting progressed for 29 municipal corporations, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the former Maharashtra chief minister demanded the suspension of state election commissioner Dinesh Waghmare and accused the State Election Commission (SEC) of bias in favor of the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
Allegations of Bias and Collusion
Thackeray described the SEC as an “anti-constitutional” institution, questioning its neutrality. “Who is the Election Commission working for?” he asked, alleging collusion between the poll body and the government. He claimed the authorities were misusing official machinery to influence elections, stating, “The government, having done no work, is now misusing official machinery to influence the elections.”
He accused the BJP and its allies of ensuring duplicate names in voter lists. “The BJP and its allies have ensured that duplicate names exist in the voter lists,” he asserted.
Ground-Level Irregularities
Thackeray highlighted voter confusion, particularly in Thane, due to lack of guidance at polling stations. He alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls, claiming men’s names appeared against women’s voter ID numbers.
In one Mumbai Metropolitan Region constituency, he said individuals linked to the election machinery openly displayed BJP candidate names, influencing voters.
He pointed to BJP minister Ganesh Naik reportedly taking four hours to find his polling centre, underscoring widespread confusion. Thackeray also claimed the indelible ink could be erased, allowing multiple votes. “The supposed indelible ink used on voters’ fingers could be erased, enabling individuals to cast multiple votes,” he alleged.
Violations of Model Code of Conduct
Thackeray accused the SEC of acting as “personal employees” of the Mahayuti alliance, employing tactics of “saam, daam, danda, bhed” — inducement, persuasion, coercion, and division. He claimed BJP posters and symbols were visible inside polling booths, calling it a direct violation.
He questioned the accountability of officials, asking how public funds were utilized while the Commission remained subservient to those in power.
Demands for Action and Accountability
Thackeray demanded Waghmare’s suspension pending an inquiry. He called for a probe into commissioners’ daily functioning, placement of party representatives in election offices, and publication of daily accountability reports.
He raised concerns over unaddressed complaints from previous elections, with names disappearing from lists and polling centres shifted without notice. “Complaints regarding duplicate voters raised during the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections had gone unaddressed,” he said, accusing the system of using judicial processes as delaying tactics.
Broader Criticisms and Links to National Issues
Linking the irregularities to the Centre’s “One Nation, One Election” proposal, Thackeray remarked, “This is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants one nation, one election.” He described the idea as an attempt to create administrative chaos for power consolidation.
Reiterating that the situation was a “murder of democracy,” he vowed his party would continue exposing the BJP’s alleged misuse of authority. “The ongoing exercise amounted to a ‘murder of democracy’,” he stated, emphasizing the erosion of public faith in elections.
Thackeray’s allegations have intensified political tensions in Maharashtra, with the Shiv Sena (UBT) positioning itself as a defender of democratic integrity amid the civic polls. As voting continues, the SEC has yet to respond officially, but the claims highlight ongoing debates over electoral transparency in India.
