Opposition Boycotts Maharashtra Assembly Oath Ceremony Over EVM Manipulation Allegations

A three-day special session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly began on Saturday with the administration of oaths to newly elected MLAs, but opposition parties abstained from participating in the ceremony, citing allegations of electronic voting machine (EVM) manipulation.

The session commenced with BJP MLA Chainsukh Sancheti among the first legislators to take the oath of secrecy. However, key opposition parties, including Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), chose to boycott the proceedings, refusing to take their oaths in protest against alleged EVM tampering during the recent state assembly elections.

The opposition has long expressed concerns over the fairness of the election process, particularly regarding the use of EVMs, which they believe played a pivotal role in the ruling Mahayuti coalition’s dominant victory. The coalition secured 235 out of 288 seats in the elections, a result that the opposition claims does not reflect the public’s mandate.

Bhaskar Jadhav, leader of Shiv Sena (UBT) in the state assembly, stated, “Though we are not against taking the oath of secrecy as MLAs, we have decided not to take oath today. The Mahayuti coalition got the unprecedented mandate in the assembly polls. We all know it is not a people’s mandate and has been achieved with the help of EVMs. As a mark of protest against the use of EVMs in the polls, we have decided not to take oath on the first day of the session.”

In addition to Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress state president Nana Patole, representing the Sakoli constituency, was called to take the oath but chose to exit the house in protest. His absence reflected the broader discontent within the opposition over the legitimacy of the election results.

After their boycott of the assembly proceedings, opposition members gathered outside the Vidhan Bhavan to pay their respects to Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at his statue, signaling their defiance against the current political developments.

The session continued with the swearing-in of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. The agenda for the special session includes the election of a new Speaker, which is scheduled for Monday, as well as other important legislative matters. The boycott by opposition parties underscores the rising tension between the ruling Mahayuti coalition and the opposition, with the use of EVMs remaining a focal point of contention.