Poll Body Calls Congress for Discussion on Voting Concerns in Maharashtra Elections

The Election Commission of India has extended an invitation to a Congress delegation for a meeting on December 3 to address concerns regarding the voting percentage in the recent Maharashtra elections. Amidst allegations from Congress about the integrity of the electoral process, the EC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and legitimacy in the electoral system.

P24 News Media

November 30, 2024

1 minute

Poll Body Calls Congress for Discussion on Voting Concerns in Maharashtra Elections

India

In a significant development, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has invited a delegation from the Congress party to discuss pressing concerns related to the voting percentage observed during the Maharashtra elections. This meeting is scheduled for December 3, with the Congress expressing apprehensions about the integrity of the electoral process, particularly in light of the recent events surrounding voting data and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The ECI has assured the Congress that all legitimate concerns will be thoroughly reviewed and that a written response will follow the discussions. The Commission emphasized that it maintains a transparent voting process where candidates and their representatives are involved at every stage. This statement comes amidst growing unease from the Congress, which has previously contested the voting mechanisms in the aftermath of the Haryana assembly elections, calling into question the authenticity of the results.

While responding to Congress's claims regarding discrepancies in voter turnout data, the ECI clarified that there is no inconsistency in the final voting statistics. The Commission stated that the voting data is available to all candidates on a polling station basis and is subject to verification. They explained that the variation between 5 PM polling figures and the final turnout is attributed to procedural duties performed by presiding officers as polling closes.

Moreover, the ECI introduced a press note around 11:45 PM during the General Elections for enhanced transparency, a practice that has continued in subsequent assembly elections. In light of these measures, Congress has accused the Election Commission of compromising the entirety of the electoral process, declaring this a point of serious concern at their recent Working Committee meeting. They intend to launch a national movement to address these issues, emphasizing the constitutional mandate of free and fair elections.

KC Venugopal, Congress general secretary, highlighted that the party's performance in Haryana was unexpectedly poor, attributing this outcome to alleged electoral malpractices. He also expressed that the situation in Maharashtra is equally troubling, hinting at possible manipulation of the electoral process which contributed to the unexpected results.

Nana Patole, the Maharashtra Congress chief, has formally written to the ECI questioning the reported increase in voter turnout of 7.83 percentage points after the polling period concluded. His inquiry revolves around the anomalies in the voting data, particularly the reported long queues that supposedly formed after the 5 PM deadline.

Patole's letter demands clarification from the Election Commission regarding this surge in voter turnout and requests the release of supporting evidence, such as video footage of the polling stations. Official figures indicated that voter turnout reached 65.2 percent by 11:30 PM on November 20, but the numbers increased to 66.05 percent by the following afternoon, prompting questions about the source of the discrepancy.

The questions raised regarding voting percentages and EVMs have seen a resurgence, especially with the Maharashtra elections yielding a significant victory for the BJP, which secured 132 seats, while its allies also performed well. In contrast, the opposition coalition, Maha Vikas Aghadi, only garnered 46 seats.

As the political climate intensifies, the upcoming meeting between the Election Commission and Congress will be crucial in determining the future discourse concerning electoral integrity in India.