Mira-Bhayandar: A major political storm has erupted in the Mira-Bhayandar Assembly constituency (No. 145) over alleged large-scale irregularities in the voter list. The Congress party has accused BJP MLA Narendra Mehta’s close associate, Ravikant Upadhyay, of being illegally registered multiple times in the constituency despite actually residing in Owala-Majiwada (No. 146).

Allegations of Duplicate Entries
Congress spokesperson Deepak Bagri claimed that Upadhyay’s name appears three times in the Mira-Bhayandar voter list under different addresses and serial numbers. He alleged that the properties listed as his residences are neither owned nor occupied by him. “This is not a clerical mistake but a clear case of electoral fraud,” Bagri said, adding that Upadhyay and his wife have multiple registrations outside their rightful constituency.

Claims of Mass Fake Voters
At a press conference in Mira Road, senior Congress leaders including Muzaffar Hussain, Pramod Samant, Advocate Rahul Rai, Bagri, and Jai Thakur, alleged the issue is far wider. Samant revealed that 25 voters were registered on a single shop address in Asmita Uphaar building, Mira Road, with different surnames but valid voter IDs. “This shows a deliberate attempt to create bogus voters with the Election Commission’s collusion,” he said, alleging BJP leaders benefited from the scam.

Past Complaints Ignored
Congress reminded that last year they flagged irregularities involving nearly 90,000 voters across Mira-Bhayandar and Owala-Majiwada. The Commission itself admitted that in Mira-Bhayandar, 53,548 names were added and 4,913 deleted. Bagri questioned why BJP leaders responded on behalf of the Commission, suggesting a nexus.

Demand for Action
Congress has demanded criminal cases against those involved, warning that such practices undermine democracy. The BJP and MLA Narendra Mehta remain silent on the allegations. With elections approaching, observers believe this controversy may intensify, putting pressure on the Election Commission to act.

When contacted, “The constitution of India has given me the right to vote, and exercise my right at my present place of residence. The frustrated Congress is making such baseless allegations. We will soon present evidence through the media to counter this. Moreover, it is the Election Commission’s responsibility to establish and rectify lapses if there are any,” said Ravikant Upadhyay, employee in 7/11 Group of companies, owned by Narendra Mehta.