As polling got underway for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) spokesperson Waris Pathan launched an attack on the Maharashtra government
and the Election Commission, alleging that voters were being turned away from polling booths.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Pathan claimed he visited several polling stations in Mumbai and found chaos, with many voters’ names missing from the electoral rolls.
Blaming the Maharashtra government and the Election Commission for the alleged failure, the AIMIM leader said, “Women and senior citizens were deeply troubled. They were being turned back. What did the EC even do? My daughter’s name was also missing.”
Sharpening his attack, he added, “This is unconstitutional and the murder of democracy. Will elections be held like this?”
Pathan’s statement came after several Opposition leaders, including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief, raised concerns over alleged multiple voting. Some users claimed that instead of indelible ink, markers were being used by poll officials, which can be easily removed with acetone.
Several politicians, celebrities, and voters also said they could not find their names at polling booths where they had previously voted and were forced to visit multiple booths to exercise their franchise.
According to the latest update, a voter turnout of 41% was recorded till 3:30 pm.
Commenting on the low turnout, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said, “The public wants to vote, but the Election Commission is preventing them from voting.”
