Thackeray brothers and Sharad Pawar unite against Election Commission

The protest centers on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which opposition leaders claim is being used to systematically disenfranchise voters. Raj Thackeray demanded a total cancellation of the exercise, citing the suspicious addition of millions of voters before the Assembly elections and the subsequent removal of two crore names. He argued that the current ruling establishment operates without fear of public reaction, effectively controlling state institutions and manipulating democratic outcomes.

Uddhav Thackeray leveled sharp criticism at the mechanism used to appoint Election Commissioners, specifically targeting the removal of the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee. He questioned the legitimacy of Gyanesh Kumar’s appointment and alleged that the Home Ministry is leveraging the commission to strip citizens of their rights. Sharad Pawar echoed these concerns, stating that the agitation is not confined to Mumbai but represents a growing movement across Maharashtra. He confirmed that his party would stand with any coalition committed to addressing these electoral discrepancies.

The protest follows reports that Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu raised internal objections on 14 occasions regarding procedural decisions and database management. While the Election Commission dismissed these reports as part of standard administrative feedback, the opposition remains unconvinced, calling for a return to paper ballots to ensure transparency and restore public trust in the democratic process.