NEW DELHI: An independent candidate from Mumbai North West constituency has approached the Bombay High Court challenging the victory of Shiv Sena’s Ravindra Waikar in the Lok Sabha elections, results of which were declared on June 4, 2024.
Bharat Shah, the defeated candidate, alleged malpractices and illegalities in the counting process. In his plea, he urged the High Court to declare the results of the Mumbai North West constituency null and void.
Ravindra Waikar clinched victory in the constituency by a mere 48 votes over his closest Shiv Sena (UBT) rival, Amol Kirtikar.
Shah, representing the Hindu Samaj Party, contested as an independent candidate and secured 937 votes out of the 9,54,939 votes polled in the constituency.
In addition to seeking the annulment of results, Shah’s plea requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to investigate the alleged fraud. He claimed that initially Kirtikar was leading but Waikar eventually emerged as the winner by a slim margin, alleging unfair practices and selective misuse of EVMs in the constituency.
“The presence of certain close associates of Waikar, including his daughter, in the control room of the polling centre and their use of mobile phones, which is prohibited, further raises serious concerns about the transparency of the electoral process,” Shah’s plea stated.
The petition also sought the High Court’s intervention to obtain the CCTV footage from the polling centre. The matter is scheduled to be heard in due course.