‘Where did the extra votes come from?’ Shiv Sena (UBT) questions unusual rise in revised polling figures

Mumbai: Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday attacked the election commission after it released revised polling figures for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections that were unusually higher than the progressive count recorded on polling day in some Maharashtra constituencies. The revised figures were released 11 days after polling day.

Eight constituencies in Maharashtra polled in the first phase. The final polling figures for Chandrapur and Gadchiroli-Chimur saw an increase of 7.52% and 4.71%, respectively, compared with the progressive count. Bhandara-Gondiya and Ramtek also saw a rise of 2.96% and 2.51%, respectively, which is also higher than usual. “The maximum increase in these figures in the past would be 2% as the estimates by the poll machinery hardly fail,” said a former official from the Maharashtra state election commission.

To compare, in the 2019 elections, the turnout in Gadchiroli-Chimur increased from 71.98% to 72.33%, from 64.65% to 64.89% in Chandrapur, from 68.27% to 68.81% in Bhandara-Gondiya, and from 62.12% to 62.3% in Ramtek.

The revised figures for the second phase of the 2024 elections were released two days after polling and saw a rise of 0.5%-1%, which is considered normal. The average turnout in Maharashtra in Phase 1 and Phase 2 was 60.22% and 62.71%, respectively.

Raut lashed out at the election commission for taking 11 days to release the revised figures and the “whopping rise” compared with the progressive data on polling day. “In the digital era, why does it take 11 days to give the voting percentage? A difference of 0.5% to 1% in the progressive figures is fine but not such a huge difference. Where did these extra votes come from? This is a scam of the election commission and the people are watching it,” he said.

Responding to the allegations, Kiran Kulkarni, additional chief electoral officer of Maharashtra, said the figures released on the day of the election were just estimates that keep changing. “One of the reasons [for the unusual rise] could be the baking heat. Voters turned up to the booths late, resulting in heavy voting after [the cut-off time of] 6pm,” he said.

In a press conference last week, S Chockalingam, chief electoral officer of Maharashtra, had said that polling went on till 10pm in some polling booths in Gadchiroli, as the turnout at 6pm was significant. “We ensured that the voters present at 6pm were allowed to vote by issuing them token numbers,” he had said.

Officials also believe the percentage might have varied because of postal and distance voting by government officials on election duty.