Mumbai, October 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Sunday demanded the immediate scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the reintroduction of paper ballots for future elections, alleging that the ongoing revision process lacks legal backing.
Addressing the opposition’s ‘Garjana Morcha’ rally in Mumbai, held jointly with Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, Raj called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to meet the two demands, arguing that they were essential to restoring public confidence in the electoral process.
Questioning the legality of the nationwide SIR exercise, Raj cited legal opinions attributed to former Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh, claiming that such revisions could be undertaken only in exceptional circumstances, including natural disasters or large-scale displacement, and with specific justification.
Raj also raised concerns over alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls, questioning how Maharashtra added 40 to 60 lakh voters within six months of the Lok Sabha elections. He further cited claims that nearly two crore voters had been removed from electoral rolls nationwide during the SIR exercise and demanded an explanation for their exclusion.
The MNS chief accused the ECI of failing to ensure transparency and accountability, raising allegations of voter-list manipulation during the 2024 General and Maharashtra Assembly elections. He also questioned the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition’s sweeping electoral victory, pointing to what he described as an unusual silence across Maharashtra following the results.
Recalling that he had raised concerns about EVMs and voter-list discrepancies since 2017-18, Raj said he had previously discussed the issue with opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee.
The ‘Garjana Morcha’ march began at Metro Cinema and proceeded towards the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters in South Mumbai. Leaders and workers from the Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Left parties also participated in the protest, which included calls for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
Raj maintained that returning to paper ballots would make election results more transparent and help establish public trust in the electoral mandate.
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