 "Sour grapes? Why has Swara Bhasker alleged EVM tampering in Maharashtra election?")
Actor Swara Bhasker has an EVM-related question for the Election Commission.
Her husband, Fahad Ahmad of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction (NCP-SP), was defeated by Sana Malik of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra’s Anushakti Nagar constituency. Following the result, Swara alleged EVM tampering, claiming that the machines’ battery levels stayed at 99 per cent throughout the day.
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In a post on the social media platform ‘X’, Ahmad called for a recount of rounds 16, 17, and 18. Swara echoed his concerns, writing on ‘X’, “99% battery charger EVMs are opened and BJP supported NCP-Ajit Pawar candidate takes lead” after rounds 17, 18, and 19 of the vote count.
Fahad Ahmad vs Sana Malik
According to the final data from the Election Commission of India (ECI), Fahad Ahmad received 45,963 votes, losing to Sana Malik, who secured 49,341 votes, by a margin of 3,378 votes.
Fahad, who joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction (NCP-SP) in October after leaving the Samajwadi Party, has alleged manipulation of the results. He has demanded a recount, accusing the BJP of influencing the outcome.
Swara Bhasker’s husband claimed he was leading in Anushakti Nagar after 17 rounds of counting. He said that EVMs with 99 per cent battery charge showed Sana Malik taking the lead, while those with lower battery levels showed her trailing.
Notably, during the earlier rounds of counting, Ahmad was leading in Anushakti Nagar with a margin of 5,886 votes against Sana Malik. However, as the counting progressed, Sana Malik gained and overtook Ahmad to win the seat.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAnushakti Nagar falls under the Mumbai South-Central Lok Sabha constituency.
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What Swara Bhasker has alleged
In a post on X, Swara Bhasker claimed that Ahmad had been leading in Mumbai’s Anushakti Nagar constituency until EVMs with 99 per cent battery charge were opened.
“In #AnushaktiNagar vidhaan sabha after a steady lead by @FahadZirarAhmad of NCP-SP.. round 17, 18, 19 suddenly 99% battery charger EVMs are opened and BJP supported NCP-Ajit Pawar candidate takes lead,” she posted.
She further asked, “How can machines that have been voted on ALL day long have 99% charged batteries? Why do all 99% charged batteries give votes to BJP and its allies?”
In #AnushaktiNagar vidhaan sabha after a steady lead by @FahadZirarAhmad of NCP-SP.. round 17, 18, 19 suddenly 99% battery charger EVMs are opened and BJP supported NCP-Ajit Pawar candidate takes lead. How can machines that have been voted on ALL day long have 99% charged… https://t.co/GknxDWOb5v
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) November 23, 2024
While she joined her husband in demanding a recount, Bhasker stated that she would respect the people’s mandate if “everything’s in order.”
Bhasker had campaigned vigorously for Fahad and had also organised a crowdfunding initiative, seeking public donations to support his election campaign. The NCP(SP), to which Ahmad belongs, contested as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes the Congress and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).
What Fahad Ahmad said
Taking to X, the NCP(SP) leader said, “I was leading till 17th round, dilemma of 99% battery of CU is still need to resolve. ECI I am coming after you.”
99% battery of CU and dilemma of BJP Alias winning. pic.twitter.com/pjwPZUrUD3
— Fahad Ahmad (@FahadZirarAhmad) November 23, 2024
In a separate post, he wrote, “After round 16 and a steady lead in all rounds.. EVM machines that were 99% charged were opened and BJP supported NCP Ajit Pawar candidate took a lead ..@ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI this is rank manipulation. We demand a recount of rounds 16, 17, 18 and 19.”
ECI’s clarification on EVMs with 99% charge
Addressing concerns similar to these during the Haryana Assembly elections, where the Congress alleged it was losing on EVMs with a 99 per cent charge but winning on those with a 60-70 per cent battery, the Election Commission of India clarified that battery voltage and capacity have no bearing on vote-counting operations or the integrity of EVMs.
“The display unit of the EVM shows a ‘99 per cent’ charge as long as the electric potential of the battery remains between 7.4 volts and 8 volts, in this range, the EVM operates optimally, without revealing the exact battery percentage, as the voltage is sufficient to sustain continuous operations,” the poll body said.
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Anushakti Nagar Election 2024
Fahad Ahmad, the former state president of the Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha, the youth wing of the Samajwadi Party in Maharashtra, contested the Anushakti Nagar seat in the 2024 Assembly elections.
A graduate of Aligarh Muslim University and an M. Phil holder from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Ahmad has been actively involved in student politics. He married Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker on February 16, 2023.
Announcing Ahmad’s candidature, NCP(SP) leader Jayant Patil said, “Fahad Ahmad is a well-educated young Muslim youth and has worked as an activist across the country. People want us to give a chance to such leaders.”
Meanwhile, Sana Malik, Fahad’s opponent, is the daughter of veteran politician and former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik.
Nawab Malik, who has represented Anushakti Nagar twice before, strongly supported his daughter’s candidature despite opposition from BJP leaders. He is also contesting this election from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat as an NCP candidate.
Anushakti Nagar, a constituency that came into existence in 2008 after delimitation, has been a stronghold of Nawab Malik. He represented the seat in 2009 and 2019.
Earlier this year, in the Lok Sabha elections, the Shiv Sena (UBT) dominated the Anushakti Nagar assembly segment. Anil Desai, the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate, won the Mumbai South Central Lok Sabha seat after polling 79,767 votes in this segment. His opponent, Rahul Shewale of the Shinde-led Sena, secured 50,684 votes.
With inputs from agencies
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