SC Dismisses Plea Challenging 2024 Maharashtra Polls
The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea that questioned the validity of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. The petition, filed by Chetan Chandrakant Ahire, alleged that more than 75 lakh votes were cast after the official polling deadline of 6 pm. The petitioner sought to annul the results across all 288 constituencies, demanding constituency-wise details of late votes and cancellation of election certificates. The apex court, however, upheld the Bombay High Court’s earlier order that found the claims baseless.
Bombay High Court’s Findings
In June 2025, the Bombay High Court had already dismissed the petition, observing that it was based entirely on a single, unverified newspaper report. The court highlighted that the petitioner had failed to approach the Election Commission before moving to the judiciary, calling the move premature and speculative. It also warned against misuse of judicial forums for political purposes.
Lack of Evidence Highlighted
The petition alleged that nearly 6.8% of the votes in the state—over 76 lakh—were recorded after polling time. Both the High Court and the Supreme Court found these numbers unsubstantiated, pointing out that no verified data or credible documents were produced to support the claim.
Elections Declared Valid
With the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the plea, the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election results stand validated. Officials emphasized that the polling process was conducted lawfully and transparently, and the courts agreed there was no evidence of large-scale discrepancies.
