Shiv Sena (UBT) to challenge Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat result in court

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray challenges Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha result, alleging fraud and misuse of official machinery.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said on June 17 that his party would challenge the Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha seat result in the Bombay High Court, alleging that their candidate Amol Kirtikar’s victory was undermined by ‘misuse’ of official machinery. He labelled the result as fraudulent.

He also said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would have won only 40 seats instead of 240 in the Lok Sabha election if the polling was “free and fair”.

“Our victory was taken from us through the misuse of official machinery. We will file an election petition in court in a day or two, challenging the result of the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat,” he said. Mr. Kirtikar lost to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena candidate Ravindra Waikar with a margin of 48 votes. Mumbai’s Vanrai police registered a case against Mr. Waikar’s brother-in-law Mangesh Pandilkar for allegedly using a mobile phone at a counting centre in Goregoan on June 4, the day election results were announced.

Addressing a press conference at Shiv Sena Bhawan in Mumbai, the former Maharashtra Minister criticised the Election Commission of India, labelling it as ‘entirely compromised’. “It’s a fraud. There is an ongoing debate on the election process and EVMs. I have already said the Election Commission is an ‘entirely compromised’ commission,” Mr. Thackeray said, adding that they expect the EC to take suo motu cognisance, if not, they are prepared to contest the result legally, and win.

The party’s legislator Anil Parab echoed Mr. Thackeray’s sentiments and called for the EC to act on the available information and declare Mr. Kirtikar the winner. “We have a doubt that the mobile phone (seized as part of probe) may have been changed,” he said.

He also suggested a probe into the frequent phone calls received by the returning officer, which he believes compromised the integrity of the election process. “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 the phone. Who was constantly calling her and what was the reason?” he asked.

Mr. Parab, also a legal expert within the party, highlighted that their tally showed a lead of 650 votes up to the 19th round of counting, after which transparency was lacking. He also pointed out that forms 17C and 17C part II (pertaining to number of votes polled), which document the number of votes polled, were not provided to many candidates.