Mumbai, November 1, 2025 – A massive rally led by Uddhav Thackeray, chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), and Raj Thackeray, president of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), converged in Mumbai today to protest alleged irregularities in the state's voter lists. The demonstration, a rare display of unity between the Thackeray cousins and other opposition parties, targeted the State Election Commission (SEC) and its handling of electoral rolls ahead of upcoming local body polls.
The "Satyacha Morcha" (March for Truth), as it was dubbed by organizers, commenced near Metro Cinema and proceeded towards the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters. Senior leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance – comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar's NCP, and the Congress – were present, alongside Raj Thackeray's MNS, despite the latter not being a formal member of the MVA. Participants voiced concerns over alleged vote theft, electoral roll discrepancies, and the perceived inaction of the poll body.
Uddhav Thackeray has been vocal about his concerns regarding the integrity of the voter lists. He previously stated that no elections should occur until the errors are rectified. He has also questioned the Election Commission's refusal to use Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines during local body polls, expressing doubts about the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Uddhav has gone as far as to say that the Election Commission is not a "Harishchandra", a paragon of truth.
Raj Thackeray has been equally critical, alleging that voter lists are being tampered with in real time. He claimed that the voter list for the 2024 elections contained names without photos or addresses. Earlier in October, Raj Thackeray claimed that "reliable information" indicated the addition of 9.6 million fake voters to the state's rolls, calling it "an insult to the voters of Maharashtra and the country". He has called for the postponement of elections until the lists are updated.
Both leaders have presented examples of alleged discrepancies, including multiple entries of the same voter, fake addresses, and unrealistic ages. Aaditya Thackeray, MLA and son of Uddhav Thackeray, highlighted anomalies in the voter lists in the Worli assembly constituency alone, including deceased individuals remaining on the lists.
The opposition parties have collectively demanded that the SEC halt the election process until all discrepancies are fixed. They have pointed to instances of multiple voters sharing the same EPIC number and the existence of "fake voters". They are demanding that the electoral rolls be cleaned up before the upcoming rural and urban body elections, which must be completed by January 31, 2026.
In response to the allegations, the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra has sought a signed declaration from Rahul Gandhi, who has also raised concerns about voter list irregularities, with names of ineligible and excluded voters.
Mumbai Police implemented elaborate security and traffic arrangements to manage the protest and prevent any untoward incidents. Thousands of personnel were deployed along the protest route, with barricades and diversions in place.
The rally underscores the growing distrust in the electoral process and the determination of opposition parties to ensure fair and accurate elections. The leaders have warned of further action if the SEC fails to address their concerns. Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS are exploring the option of moving to court against the EC if it doesn't rectify voters' lists before the local body polls.
