Maharashtra Congress Accuses Government and Election Commission of Mishandling Local Body Polls

Congress leaders Harshvardhan Sapkal, Vishwajit Kadam, and Satej Patil have accused the Maharashtra government and Election Commission of rushing local polls and manipulating voter lists.

Mumbai | November 4, 2025

The Maharashtra Congress has launched a sharp attack on the state government and the Maharashtra State Election Commission over the upcoming local body elections, accusing both of undermining the integrity of the democratic process. Senior Congress leaders Harshvardhan Sapkal, Vishwajit Kadam, and Satej Patil criticized the government’s handling of the election schedule and alleged that the Election Commission is failing to perform its constitutional duty of ensuring transparent and fair polls.

Speaking to the media, Harshvardhan Sapkal said the election process has turned chaotic, claiming the commission is acting under pressure from the ruling coalition. He alleged that the poll preparations are being rushed, which could lead to large-scale irregularities. “The election system is being dragged into disarray, and the credibility of the commission is at stake,” Sapkal said.

Vishwajit Kadam questioned the limited time given to political parties to prepare, pointing out that only about three weeks remain between the poll announcement and voting day. He argued that such a short window makes it difficult for parties to reach voters and campaign effectively, thereby weakening the democratic process.

Satej Patil raised serious concerns about the accuracy of voter lists, claiming that many names have been duplicated or marked with unexplained symbols like “star” or “four-star,” indicating potential manipulation. He demanded that the Election Commission release full data on the voter list anomalies and initiate immediate corrections to prevent double voting.

The Congress leaders also criticized the ruling alliance for what they described as deliberate interference in local administration ahead of the polls. They claimed that political pressure is being exerted on election officers and that the entire process appears to be tilted in favor of the ruling parties.

The opposition has demanded a special audit of the voter rolls and a transparent mechanism for public objections. The Congress, along with its Maha Vikas Aghadi allies, plans to raise the issue both in the Assembly and through public demonstrations.

These remarks come just days after the Election Commission announced elections for 246 municipalities and 42 nagarpanchayats across Maharashtra. As political temperatures rise, the controversy over voter list integrity and fairness of the polls is likely to dominate the state’s political discourse in the coming weeks.

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