Mumbai, October 28, 2025 — In a fresh political development ahead of the upcoming local body elections, Aaditya Thackeray, MLA from Worli and prominent leader of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), has alleged large-scale discrepancies in Mumbai’s voter list. Thackeray claimed that thousands of voter entries were either “fake” or “deleted,” suggesting that such irregularities played a decisive role in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance’s loss during the previous Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Thackeray stressed that the problem is not one of administration but one at the very root of democratic integrity. “Our democracy is undermined when actual voters are erased and phantom entries added. This is not an election matter — it’s one of individuals’ right to vote,” he stated.
Allegations of Manipulated Rolls
The voter rolls in various constituencies of Mumbai and Thane have reflected irregular trends, such as truncated entries of long-established residents, duplicate entries, and voters enlisted at the wrong addresses, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader stated. The leader has appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the State Election Commission to carry out an exhaustive audit of the rolls before any municipal elections or Assembly elections are conducted.
The party says it has evidence demonstrating clusters of deleted names in the MVA’s traditional strongholds. “This is systematic voter suppression,” Thackeray claimed, adding that these trends were extremely conspicuous in urban clusters such as Worli, Bandra, Dadar, and Andheri.
Political Reactions
The comments have rung in a spate of political reactions in Maharashtra. While MVA partners — the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar group) — have supported Thackeray’s call for cleansing, Mahayuti allies (the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction) have termed the charges as “baseless and politically motivated.”
A top BJP spokesperson remarked, “Rather than accept the people’s verdict, the opposition is making excuses. The Election Commission is an autonomous body — no one can tamper with rolls on such a large scale.”
But independent election observers and Mumbai civil society organizations have joined the demand for openness. “There has been a concern regarding voter list accuracy for years, particularly in big city metropolises,” replied lawyer and electoral reform campaigner Anjali Menon, stating that “periodic verification is crucial to keep the system credible.”
Implications for the upcoming BMC Elections
The charges are a malicious one just months short of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections — one of the politically most critical civic polls in the nation. Holding the BMC, which oversees a budget greater than most Indian states, has been an aspirational fight for Maharashtra’s key political players.
Aaditya Thackeray’s assertion adds a new dimension to the political narrative, as the opposition seeks to regain momentum after setbacks in both the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. By focusing on electoral transparency, the UBT faction aims to portray itself as the defender of democracy and voter rights — a theme expected to dominate their campaign messaging in the coming weeks.
ECI’s Response and Public Concern
State Election Commission officials have not made any formal statement, but officials reveal that the organization is likely to launch a sample verification drive in important wards. Voters themselves have complained about their names being absent from recent polls. South and Central Mumbai residents’ associations have approached election authorities, officials say, looking for information on registration mistakes and re-verification schedules.
The Road Ahead
As Mumbai gears up for the next cycle of civic elections, the controversy over the voter list is bound to stay in the limelight. For Aaditya Thackeray and the MVA combine, it’s both a rallying cry and a symbolic fight for fairness in elections. The ruling alliance will, however, likely respond with allegations of administrative adhesion and enhanced digital transparency in voters’ lists.
Regardless of political affiliations, one thing remains clear — the integrity of the electoral process has once again become a key issue in Mumbai’s political discourse. As Thackeray put it, “This fight isn’t about seats or slogans — it’s about ensuring every legitimate voter’s right is protected.”
