The Supreme Court has dismissed the petition to annul the Maharashtra Assembly elections. The plea was filed by voter Chetan Chandrakant Ahire from the Vikhroli constituency, alleging that '7.6 million fake votes' were cast after voting hours during the November 2024 elections.
A bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice N Kotiswar Singh upheld the Bombay High Court's decision. The court noted that Ahire's petition lacked legal validity, substance, and merit.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections in November 2024 witnessed a record voter turnout of 66.05%, the highest since 1995. The BJP triumphed with the most seats, securing victory in 235 out of 288 constituencies with its alliance.
The Bombay High Court dismissed Ahire's petition on June 25, 2025. Justices GS Kulkarni and Arif Doctor concluded that the petition lacked a concrete basis.
Ahire sought the annulment of results for all 288 assembly constituencies in the Supreme Court, demanding withdrawal of election certificates from winning candidates and reinstatement of ballot papers. He claimed approximately 7.6 million illegitimate votes were cast post-6 PM on November 20, 2024.
Ahire referenced an RTI to support his claim, stating that no official data was available on these additional votes. However, the Supreme Court clarified such arguments are legally untenable and no substantial evidence was provided in the case.
