Mumbai, Sep 25 (IANS): Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Friday demanded the immediate cancellation of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, alleging that the voter roll verification process was being used to manipulate electoral outcomes.
He also called for a nationwide movement by opposition parties to bring back paper ballot voting instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
In a statement on X, Thackeray accused the ruling party of leveraging key institutional figures to maintain an “endless grip on power” and called upon all opposition parties across the country to unite for a massive agitation to bring back paper ballots.
Drawing a vivid mythological parallel, Thackeray remarked, “‘Sant Dnyaneshwar’ once made a buffalo recite the Vedas; now, the buffaloes in power are getting their version of the Vedas recited through this ‘Gyanesh.’”
Thackeray highlighted that CEC Gyanesh Kumar has remained silent over the past two days amid growing public and political scrutiny regarding internal rifts and administrative decisions within the Election Commission.
Calling the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise a “new weapon” deployed since 2025 to manipulate voter lists, Thackeray pointed out that serious concerns and irregularities are now being raised even from within the Election Commission itself.
Emphasising that electronic voting systems undermine public trust, Thackeray urged all political parties to join hands in a national movement demanding that all future elections be conducted strictly using traditional paper ballots.
“The SIR currently underway should be completely cancelled. An impartial probe must be conducted into the irregularities that have surfaced, and only then should a fresh verification process be undertaken,” he said.
Thackeray urged all opposition parties to unite against the exercise, arguing that electoral transparency could be ensured only through ballot paper voting.
“Only when we scrap this compromised process and move back to ballot paper voting will the absolute truth behind this long-standing hold on power finally be laid bare,” Thackeray added.
Thackeray’s statement adds fuel to an escalating political storm following recent reports of dissent within the Election Commission. Opposition parties have increasingly rallied around claims that the institutional independence of the electoral body has been compromised.
