Election Commission sources on Tuesday rejected Rahul Gandhi's allegations of abnormal voter turnout in the last two hours of the assembly polls in Maharashtra, asserting that the Congress did not flag any such abnormality during or after voting.
On Monday, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged in Boston, US, that, in simple terms, more people voted in the Maharashtra assembly election than there were adults in the state.
"The Election Commission gave us a voting figure for 5:30 pm, and between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm, 65 lakh voters voted. This is physically impossible. For a voter to vote, it takes approximately three minutes and, if you do the math, it would mean that there were lines of voters till 2 am but this did not happen," he had said.
Rejecting the claims, the sources underlined that 6,40,87,588 (6.40 crore) electors who reached the polling stations from 7 am to 6 pm voted in the Maharashtra polls.
About 58 lakh votes were polled per hour on an average, they 

Rahul Gandhi, Rahul, congress leader

On Monday, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged in Boston, US, that, in simple terms, more people voted in the Maharashtra assembly election than there were adults in the state

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday endorsed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of irregularities in Maharashtra assembly elections and claimed that even the ruling BJP did not find its victory believable.
Gandhi, at his press conference in Delhi, "busted the farce" of the BJP-led Mahayuti's majority in the state, he said.
Just as the Opposition could not believe that its defeat was genuine, the Bharatiya Janata Party did not find its own victory believable, said Thackeray.
He also dared rival Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to try and poach MPs of the Sena (UBT).
Alleging "numerous irregularities" in the Maharashtra polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi earlier in the day claimed there were more registered voters than the entire state's adult population, and more voters were added in five months between the Lok Sabha and state polls than in the five years before that.
He also asserted that if the demand to the Election Commis

Uddhav Thackeray, Uddhav, Thackeray

Just as the Opposition could not believe that its defeat was genuine, the Bharatiya Janata Party did not find its own victory believable, said Thackeray

Amid concerns flagged by the Congress, the Election Commission on Tuesday said there were no arbitrary additions or deletions of voters in Maharashtra where assembly polls were held recently.
In its response to the Congress, the poll authority said it would not be correct to compare 5 PM voter turnout data with final polling data.
It also explained how increase in voter turnout from 5 PM to 11:45 PM was normal, being part of the process of aggregation of voter turnout and how there can be bona fide but inconsequential differences in votes polled and votes counted.
The EC asserted that it is impossible to change actual voter turnout as statutory Form 17C giving details of voter turnout is available with authorised agents of candidates at the time of close of poll at the polling station itself.
It said rule-based process was followed with transparency in Maharashtra electoral roll preparation and there were no irregular pattern in voter deletions in the state.
It told the Congress t

ECI, election commission of india, election commission

In its response to the Congress, the poll authority said it would not be correct to compare 5 PM voter turnout data with final polling data

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday allocated portfolios to his council of ministers, retaining the crucial Home department with him.
Fadnavis will also handle Energy, Law and Judiciary, General Administration Department and Information and Publicity departments, an official statement said here.  Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has been allocated Urban Development, Housing and Public Works Department (public enterprises).  Ajit Pawar, another deputy CM, got Finance and Planning, State Excise.  The portfolios were allocated after the weeklong winter  session of the state Legislature ended here earlier in the day.
As many as 39 ministers had been sworn in on December 15, before the start of the session, while  Fadnavis and his two deputies had taken the oath of office on December 5.  The Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena swept the November 20 assembly elections, winning 230 of 288 seats.
Portfolios allocated to BJP ministers are -- Chandrashekhar

Devendra Fadnavis, Devendra, Fadnavis

As many as 39 ministers had been sworn in on December 15, before the start of the session, while Fadnavis and his two deputies had taken the oath of office on December 5

Five days after assuming office, the Mahayuti alliance government in Maharashtra led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday comfortably won a confidence vote in the state assembly.
The trust motion, tabled by Shiv Sena MLA Uday Samant and others, was passed by a voice vote on the last day of the three-day special assembly session.
Some opposition members were absent when the trust motion was approved in the assembly. They included Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray.
On December 4, when Governor C P Radhakrishnan handed Fadnavis the letter inviting him to form the government, he had stipulated in the document that the BJP leader must clear the trust motion in the House in 21 days, sources said.
Speaker Rahul Narwekar, elected unopposed for a second straight term earlier in the day, announced that the trust motion has been approved by the newly-constituted House.
The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP 'Mahayuti' coalition has a commanding majority of 230 seats in the 288-member assembly, w

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader EknathShinde with Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis (left) of the BJP leader and AjitPawar (right) of the NCP, after the Mahayuti’s landslide victory in the Assembly polls. The alliance regained as many as 1

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader EknathShinde with Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis (left) of the BJP leader and AjitPawar (right) of the NCP, after the Mahayuti's landslide victory in the Assembly polls. The alliance regained as many as 1

The trust motion, tabled by Shiv Sena MLA Uday Samant and others, was passed by a voice vote on the last day of the three-day special Assembly session

Devendra Fadnavis, after taking oath as Maharashtra CM, assures a stable government with swift decisions, saying the Mahayuti alliance will ensure no repeat of past political turmoil

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday assured his government will continue the Ladki Bahin Yojana and fulfil Mahayuti's pre-poll promise of hiking  the monthly stipend under the scheme to Rs 2,100 from Rs 1,500 now to eligible women.
Addressing his maiden press conference after taking over as CM in the evening, he said he will provide a stable government over the next five years and the state under his leadership will see politics of change and not revenge.
Fadnavis said the mandate of people in the 2024 assembly elections reflected their huge expectations and love, and he is feeling the pressure of their hope.
He maintained Maharashtra will grow with same speed in social, infrastructure, industrial sectors as seen in the last two-and-a-half years.
The CM said the Ladki Bahin Yojana, a cash transfer scheme target at women from poor families launched by the firs Mahayuti government, will continue and channelization of financial resources will be done during the ne

Devendra Fadnavis

Addressing his maiden press conference after taking over as CM in the evening, he said he will provide a stable government over the next five years

Ajit Pawar also takes oath as deputy CM at event attended by Modi, Shah, among others

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP (Ajit faction) leader Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra CM oath ceremony: Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar took oath at Mumbai's Azad Maidan, in the presence of PM Modi, JP Nadda and others

After days of uncertainty, Eknath Shinde has agreed to be Maharashtra's deputy CM. This follows intense talks with BJP leadership and pressure from his fellow Shiv Sena leaders

Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra CM

As the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is poised to secure a sweeping victory in Maharashtra elections, the big question now is: Who will be the new CM? Will it be Devendra Fadnavis or Eknath Shinde? Watch the video to find out.

Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis commended the performance of the ruling Mahayuti attributing the success to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and specifically to Modi's campaign catchphrase "ek hai toh safe hai". The phrase "ek hai toh safe hai" was consistently featured in Modi's campaign speeches. 

In the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is leading in 221 of the 288 Assembly seats, according to the latest Election Commission data. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is trailing, with its candidates ahead in only 47 seats, as shown by early trends. As the counting of votes began on Saturday morning, Sanjay Raut, a prominent leader from Shiv Sena (UBT), raised concerns over the emerging trends in Maharashtra’s election results. Watch the video to know what Raut said.

The Mahayuti alliance - consisting of the BJP and the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party factions led by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar - was ahead in 218 of the state's 288 seats by 11 am, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi - consisting of the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP groups led by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar - is ahead in just 59.

On October 16, the Election Commission of India announced the assembly election schedule for Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Watch the video for the key dates and major alliances.

Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 - Check Maharashtra Assembly Election Time, Maharashtra Assembly Elections  at Business Standard.

Maharashtra Elections

Cong did not flag abnormal voting in Maha polls: EC on Rahul's allegations

Even BJP didn't find its victory in Maha polls believable: Uddhav Thackeray

No arbitrary addition, deletion in voters list in Maha: EC to Congress

Maha portfolios: Fadnavis keeps home, Shinde gets urban development

5 days in office, Mahayuti govt wins confidence vote in state Assembly

'No shocks ahead': Devendra Fadnavis assures stability after taking oath

Will fulfil promise of hiking 'Ladki Bahin' stipend to Rs 2,100: Fadnavis

Role reversal: Fadnavis sworn in as Maharashtra CM, Shinde his deputy

Devendra Fadnavis returns as Maha CM with Shinde, Ajit Pawar as deputies

Eknath Shinde agrees to be Devendra Fadnavis' deputy on party's persuasion

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