16 October,2026 01:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Navnath Ban. Pic/Special Arrangement
The Maharashtra BJP has criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut after the Supreme Court said he would have to explain his conduct while considering a plea challenging alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party also questioned Raut's position on several pending cases and his remarks on the voter list revision exercise.
BJP chief spokesperson Navnath Ban targeted Raut over the court proceedings, comparing him with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and accusing both opposition leaders of misleading the public. Ban also criticised the Congress over its proposed national flag rally, questioning the party's political messaging and alleging that its campaign could create instability.
Ban criticised Raut, describing him as an "apology warrior" and drawing a comparison with Rahul Gandhi, whom the BJP has previously targeted over legal disputes. He said Raut should apologise not only to the Supreme Court but also to the people of India and Maharashtra.
The remarks came after a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on a plea filed by Gandhi and 12 others, including Raut, over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.
The court made clear on Thursday that it was provisionally entertaining the plea on Raut's behalf, subject to him explaining his conduct. Raut is one of the 13 co-petitioners in the case.
Reacting to the proceedings, Ban accused Raut of repeatedly misleading the public and questioned who would be held accountable for statements that allegedly misinformed people. He argued that an apology in a legal matter would not, by itself, resolve questions about political accountability.
The BJP spokesperson called on Raut to clarify his position and apologise to the public, maintaining that political leaders should be answerable for their statements and conduct.
Ban also questioned Raut's position on several cases while criticising his demand for justice through the Supreme Court. He referred to the Palghar sadhu lynching case, the Disha Salian case and the Patra Chawl case, asking why the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader had not taken a stronger stand on these matters.
He urged Raut to raise concerns about those affected by the Patra Chawl case and the demand for justice by Disha Salian's family.
Ban called on the opposition leader to clarify his position on these cases, arguing that his public statements on justice and accountability should be consistent.
Ban also rejected claims that 13 crore voters had been excluded from electoral rolls, describing the allegation as misleading. He criticised Raut and Gandhi for raising concerns about the Election Commission's SIR exercise.
The BJP spokesperson argued that assessments of voter list changes should account for duplicate entries, deceased voters and people who had moved away from their registered locations. He said these factors needed to be considered before drawing conclusions about the scale and impact of the revision.
Ban further alleged that opposition parties had failed to appoint sufficient numbers of Booth Level Agents (BLA-2) and questioned their criticism of the Election Commission.
He also referred to Form 6, through which eligible citizens can apply for inclusion in electoral rolls, arguing that the provision should be considered while assessing objections to the revision exercise.
The opposition's concerns over SIR have centred on the possibility that eligible voters could be left off electoral rolls during the revision process. Gandhi, Raut and the other petitioners have approached the Supreme Court over alleged irregularities, while the BJP has defended the exercise.
Ban also criticised the Congress over its proposed national flag rally, questioning whether the event was intended to promote national unity or intensify political confrontation.
He asked the party to explain how its use of the national flag aligned with its statements about political change and alleged that its campaign could contribute to instability.
The BJP spokesperson accused the Congress of attempting to create unrest and warned against what he described as efforts to bring conditions similar to those in Bangladesh and Nepal to India.
Ban said the BJP would oppose any attempt to destabilise the country, framing the dispute as a question of national stability.
