28 September,2026 04:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Maharashtra Congress stages protests across Maharashtra against CEC Gyanesh Kumar (Pic/Special arrangement)
The Maharashtra Congress on Monday, September 28, held protest marches at district collectorate offices across the state against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Maharashtra Congress, during the protest, alleged irregularities in voter lists, further demanding the CEC's removal from office and arrest.
The protests were held in several districts, including Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Solapur, Nashik, Nagpur, Amravati, Thane, Beed, Latur, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Raigad, Dharashiv, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Jalna, Parbhani, Palghar, Nandurbar, Bhandara, and Akola.
Congress submitted representations to district collectors during the protests, seeking action against Kumar over what it described as alleged manipulation of electoral rolls.
In Amravati, Congress workers staged a symbolic protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, while a similar demonstration was held in Thane.
The protests saw the participation of Congress leaders, MPs, MLAs, former ministers, district presidents, office-bearers, and workers from the Youth Congress and Congress's women wing.
Among those who participated in the protests were Congress Legislative Council group leader and former minister Satej alias Bunty Patil in Kolhapur, Congress Working Committee member and MP Praniti Shinde in Solapur, Congress Working Committee member and former minister Yashomati Thakur in Amravati, MP Balwant Wankhede, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar MP Kalyan Kale, Chandrapur MP Pratibha Dhanorkar, Nanded MP Ravindra Chavan, Latur MP Shivaji Kalge and former MP Kumar Ketkar in Thane.
Congress further alleged that changes to voter lists had benefited the ruling BJP and accused the Election Commission of failing to maintain transparency in the electoral process.
The party also cited Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's earlier allegations concerning voter-list irregularities.
The Congress further claimed that objections raised by two Election Commissioners supported its concerns regarding the functioning of the poll panel. These claims were made by the party during Monday's protests.
Maharashtra Congress also raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming that names of 13 crore voters had been excluded across the country. The allegations and figures cited by the Congress were part of its representations submitted during the protests.
Maharashtra Congress leaders said that the party would continue its agitation until Kumar is removed from the post and action is taken on the allegations raised by the party. The protests are expected to be intensified if its demands are not addressed.
