Bombay High Court Dismisses Plea Alleging Irregularities in Maharashtra Assembly Polls

The Bombay High Court has rejected a petition challenging the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election results, citing a lack of evidence and legal standing. The plea, filed by Mumbai resident Chetan Ahire, alleged that over 75 lakh votes were cast after the official polling deadline of 6 PM on November 20, 2024, and claimed discrepancies in vote counts across nearly 95 constituencies. The court, presided over by Justices G.S. Kulkarni and Arif Doctor, dismissed the petition as a “gross abuse of the process of law,” noting it consumed significant judicial time without sufficient merit.

Ahire, represented by advocate Prakash Ambedkar of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, argued that the Election Commission of India (ECI) failed to maintain transparency, particularly regarding votes cast post-deadline. The petition relied heavily on an RTI response from a third party and newspaper reports, which the court deemed speculative and lacking authenticity. The bench emphasized that no booth-level evidence supported claims of electoral fraud or irregularities. It also rejected the petitioner’s call to abandon electronic voting machines (EVMs) in favor of paper ballots, affirming the Supreme Court’s stance on the legality and efficiency of EVMs.

The court further noted that Ahire did not follow proper legal channels, such as filing an election petition under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, or raising concerns with the ECI before approaching the judiciary. The ECI and the Union Government clarified that voting beyond 6 PM is standard practice, as voters in queue by the deadline are permitted to cast their votes, ensuring no violation of electoral norms.

This ruling addresses recent public discussions on social media platforms like X, where concerns about the integrity of the 2024 Maharashtra elections have been debated. The court’s decision reinforces confidence in the electoral process, dismissing unsubstantiated claims while highlighting the need for credible evidence in such challenges.

Published in SouthAsianDesk, June 26th, 2025

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