The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has once again raised alarm over widespread irregularities in the voter list of the Belapur Assembly Constituency, alleging serious lapses in verification and record maintenance.
On Monday, MNS spokesperson and city president Gajanan Kale submitted a detailed list identifying 18,403 bogus and untraceable names and around 15,000 duplicate entries to the Election Returning Officer, urging immediate corrective measures ahead of the upcoming polls.
Repeated Complaints, Little Progress
Kale expressed frustration over the administration’s slow response, noting that the same list had been shared a year ago.
“Despite repeated complaints, no firm action has been taken to clean up the rolls,” Kale said. “The lack of progress raises doubts about the seriousness of the verification process.”
Election officials responded that 4,000–5,000 duplicate entries have been removed so far, and verification of the remaining entries is underway. They also agreed to the MNS’s demand for greater transparency, promising to share details of deleted and newly added names, including addresses and reasons for change information that had previously been withheld.
Deceased and Invalid Entries Still on Record
The MNS delegation also highlighted that names of several deceased voters continue to appear on the list. Officials acknowledged the issue and assured that the department will now obtain death certificates directly from the municipal corporation to expedite deletions and prevent further irregularities.
Public Toilet Listed as Voter Address
Kale further revealed a startling case from List No. 148, Serial No. 51, where a voter’s registered address was listed as “Sulabh Shauchalay” (Public Toilet) in Juinagar.
“This raises serious questions about the integrity of the verification process. Who approved such entries?” Kale asked, demanding accountability for the oversight.
Election Department Promises Verification Drive from November 1
The Election Returning Officer assured that starting November 1, priority action will be taken to delete bogus and untraceable names based on on-ground verification and panchnama, supported by residential proof.
The MNS has said it will continue to monitor the process closely and escalate the matter to higher authorities if irregularities persist.
