Shiv Sena (UBT) accuses Election Commission of 'not valuing voters, polls, democracy'

Mumbai: The Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday criticised the Election Commission (EC)for 'not valuing voters, polls and democracy' anymore as the country marked the National Voters' Day.

SS-UBT leader and MLA Aditya Thackeray targeted the EC on various grounds, including the toppling of the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi regime headed by his father, Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022.

"So today, the EC celebrates National Voters' Day. Does the EC actually want us to believe that they value voters, election and democracy anymore?" Aditya wondered.

He said that municipal elections have not been held in over 20 cities of Maharashtra, and "unelected administrators, appointed by an unconstitutional regime run these cities" where nearly half of Maharashtra's 120 million population live.

"Over 40 gaddars (traitors) have formed a government that totally violates the basis of our Constitution and democratic values. They should have resigned, contested and been in the assembly if elected, but today they know that the EC is totally compromised," Thackeray Jr. said here in a major onslaught.

He also referred to how Pune and Chandrapur Lok Sabha constituencies are without elected representatives to the Parliament for a year, and yet fearing the ruling political party's defeat, the EC has not held elections.

"About the case of our political party with the EC, the least said the better of the institute that is a fraud today. Do we really observe National Voters' Day or must the EC take measures that restore democracy in Maharashtra, the state that sends the second highest number of MPs to the Parliament?" he questioned.

"Do we pretend to be a democracy anymore or bring facts to light and ask the Entirely Compromised (EC) commission to work on restoring democracy in our state? When will voters be heard?" he asked.

Aditya Thackeray's detailed social media post elicited huge response with a majority supporting his stance.