EC lacks courage to show counting day CCTV footage of Mumbai North West seat: Aaditya Thackeray

Aaditya Thackeray. File Photo

On Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said the Election Commission of India (ECI) lacks courage to release the CCTV footage related to Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat with regard to allegations that the winning candidate's kin used a mobile phone in the counting centre on June 4, reported news agency PTI.

A media report said Mangesh Pandilkar, brother in law of Ravindra Waikar, who won from seat by just 48 votes, had used a mobile phone to "unlock" an EVM when the votes were being counted, allegations which returning officer Vandana Suryavanshi and Mumbai police rubbished during the day, reported PTI.

Pandilkar and a polling official Dinesh Gurav have been booked by Vanrai police under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for flouting the EC ban on mobile phones inside counting centres, reported PTI.

"We have always had suspicions about this regime tampering with EVMs. Even Elon Musk has expressed his views, claiming everything can be hacked. Despite several requests, the Election Commission does not have the courage to release the CCTV footage of the counting day that would support our claims," Aaditya Thackeray claimed, reported PTI.

"Once a fraudster always a fraudster," he said referring to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reported PTI.

Expressing concern over alleged lack of transparency in the functioning of the ECI, Aaditya Thackeray claimed the BJP would have won just 40 Lok Sabha seats and not 240 if polling was held using ballot papers instead of EVMs, reported PTI.

Addressing a press conference, returning officer Suryavanshi said CCTV footage related to Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat can only be released on the orders of a competent court, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray accused the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of giving false information about water cuts in Mumbai, reported news agency PTI.

Aaditya Thackeray, who is Worli MLA and former Maharashtra minister, alleged that there is a 40 per cent water cut in Mumbai, but civic officials were keeping mum.

"Normally, during April and May, the city faces 5-10 per cent water cut but this time it was not implemented due to the Lok Sabha polls (between April 19 and May 20 in the state). However, water cut is now in place but people have not been informed about it," Aaditya Thackeray claimed, reported PTI.

Aaditya Thackeray said BMC commissioner-cum-administrator Bhushan Gagrani must share factual data.

(With inputs from PTI)