Maharashtra’s opposition parties are gearing up for a significant demonstration on November 1st, pressing the Election Commission of India (ECI) to purge what they estimate to be “one crore bogus voters” from the state’s electoral lists. This announcement came from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
During an urgent joint press conference held at Sena Bhavan, attended by prominent figures such as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Bala Nandgaonkar, NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil, and the Congress’ Sachin Sawant, Mr. Raut cited MNS president Raj Thackeray’s earlier assertion. Thackeray had alleged that approximately 9.6 million “bogus” voters were illicitly added to Maharashtra’s voter rolls in anticipation of upcoming local body elections.
Raut emphasized the urgent need for the election authority to take action, insisting on the immediate removal of roughly one crore fraudulent voters from the state’s official voter lists.
He further noted that even members of the ruling coalition, including BJP MLA Manda Mhatre and Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad, have voiced concerns regarding voter duplication and other discrepancies within the electoral records.
“The electoral rolls must be pristine,” Raut declared. “Almost all major political parties, excluding those currently in power, are highlighting this critical issue. Yet, the ECI appears unwilling to acknowledge the existence of unclean voter lists. It’s time we shake the ECI awake by taking to the streets. Therefore, on November 1st, a massive rally will be staged by all opposition factions in Mumbai, protesting the ECI’s allegedly ‘corrupt actions’.”
He predicted that “millions of citizens who have been unjustly deprived of their voting rights will flood the streets, making their collective power undeniable.”
Raut confirmed that the rally would be spearheaded by high-profile leaders, including NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and MNS’s Raj Thackeray. Invitations are also extended to senior figures within the Congress party to join the protest.
The Rajya Sabha MP also mentioned that Mr. Pawar and the Thackeray cousins are slated to hold another press conference in the coming days to further elaborate on the matter.
“If the ECI intends to challenge us, we are more than prepared to meet it head-on,” Raut affirmed with resolve.
Earlier on the same day, Raj Thackeray reiterated his accusation of 9.6 million fraudulent voters being added to Maharashtra’s electoral rolls. He directly challenged the ECI to explain how it plans to conduct fair local body elections without first rectifying these alleged inaccuracies.
On October 14, Mr. Pawar, the Thackeray cousins, and other key opposition leaders had already met with State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare and Chief Electoral Officer S. Chockalingam. During this meeting, they formally presented their concerns regarding the purported irregularities within the voter lists.
The opposition bloc is collectively demanding a thorough rectification of the electoral rolls and the elimination of all anomalies before the impending rural and urban body elections, which are mandated to conclude by January 31, 2026.
In response, the Maharashtra State Election Commission issued a statement on Saturday, October 18, assuring the public that no political party can manipulate the electoral rolls. They asserted that all corrections and updates to voter lists are handled with strict security protocols.
During the press conference, Mr. Sawant reiterated claims of widespread irregularities in the voter lists, lamenting that opposition leaders are being denied the opportunity to properly address these concerns.
He warned that such actions pose a serious threat to the integrity of democratic processes.
MNS leader Nandgaonkar suggested that the election body has become aware of the chaotic situation, implying that the November 1st protest will serve as a powerful expression of public outrage.
Characterizing the ECI’s response as “unsatisfactory,” Mr. Patil stated that the opposition is even open to the ruling parties joining their demonstration, emphasizing that the protest is aimed at safeguarding democracy from those who seek to undermine it.
“We fully expect the election authority to acknowledge and correct its errors,” Mr. Patil concluded firmly.