Sena (UBT) to challenge Mumbai North West seat result in court: Aaditya Thackeray

Aaditya Thackeray. File Pic

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray declared on Monday that his party would take legal action over the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat outcome, claiming that their candidate's victory was undercut by "misuse" of official machinery.

During a press conference, Thackeray stated that a petition regarding "electoral malpractice" would be filed in court within a day or two. He blasted the election results as "fraud," citing Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Amol Kirtikar's narrow loss of 48 votes to Ravindra Waikar, a candidate from the Shiv Sena party led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Thackeray questioned the election process and the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), describing the Election Commission as "entirely compromised".

"There is an ongoing debate on the election process and EVMs. I have already said the Election Commission is an 'entirely compromised' commission. If the electoral procedure was free and fair, the BJP would have won only 40 Lok Sabha seats and not 240," he asserted.

"Our victory was snatched by misusing the official machinery. We will file an election petition in court, challenging the result of the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat," Thackeray said and also urged the Election Commission to act on its own initiative; otherwise, the party would pursue legal action.

Former state minister and Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab supported Thackeray's thoughts, requesting that the Election Commission of India act independently based on available information and declare Kirtikar the winner. Parab termed the proclaimed election result as strange and stated that the party would seek legal action under the Representation of the People Act, with intentions to go to court soon.

"The election result declared is suspicious. We are taking legal recourse for the misuse of official machinery under the Representation of the People Act. We are moving the court in a day or two," said Parab.

Parab disclosed irregularities in the vote counting process on June 4, stating that transparency difficulties developed after the 19th round of counting when their tally was ahead by 650 votes. He decried the separation of counting agents and returning officers, which hampered the vote tally, and claimed that several candidates did not receive key forms accounting for the number of votes cast.

"The returning officer and the counting agents were seated far from each other where the tally of votes wasn't possible because of the distance. Forms 17 C and 17 C part 2, which account for the number of votes polled, were not given to many candidates...there was a difference of 650 votes in our tally and that of the assistant returning officer till the 19th round," he claimed.

The Vanrai police in Mumbai have filed a case against Waikar's brother-in-law for allegedly using a mobile phone at a counting centre in Goregaon on June 4. Parab expressed concern over the unlawful usage of the mobile phone and proposed that the phone be swapped after 10 days.

"A probe is also needed into the constant phone calls to the returning officer of the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat. She would move away from her seat several times to talk on phone," he claimed.

With PTI inputs