Election Commission hits back at Kharge, says can have ‘negative impact’ on voters

Terming Kharge’s allegations as “blatant inaccuracies”, the EC said there had been “no unusual delay than what is required to collect data from a large number of polling stations”. “The very premise that voter turnout data was released late is devoid of facts as it has always been available on the Voter Turnout app… Needless to add that polling station-wise data of electors and voters is given to agent of the candidate on the day of poll itself at close of poll,” the EC said. It said the records showed that no Congress candidate had raised concerns at the close of polling.

Kharge’s letter, which was posted on his X handle on Monday, asked whether the “delay” in releasing the number of voters was an attempt to “doctor” the results. He had expressed concern over the EC releasing turnout figures for phase one and phase two after 11 days and four days, respectively. He also raised concern over the turnout figures increasing by 5.5 percentage points and 5.74 percentage points in the first and second phases, respectively, from what was estimated on polling day and on April 30, when the EC issued a press release giving the final figures.

Responding to the points raised in his letter, the EC said political parties are involved in the process of preparation of the electoral roll and know the details of the number of electors in each constituency; the number of polling station-wise electors is available with every candidate; and there is no scope of deviation from the number of votes recorded in the Form 17C, a signed copy of which is given to each contesting candidate at the close of poll.

In response to Kharge’s concern that there may be an attempt to “doctor” the results, the EC said the total votes polled in a particular EVM is tallied with the number in Form 17C. The EC reply included an annexure that showed the turnout figures for 2019 elections — as first announced and as released later — showing a 1-3 percentage point increase. The release of the final turnout took 5-7 days after each phase.

While rejecting the charges, the EC advised Kharge to “exercise caution and refrain in making such statements”. “Utterances from President of National Political Party attacking the very credibility of the electoral steps and processes can have a negative impact on voter participation and can be seen as a means to deter an elector from exercising their franchise and/or demoralising the huge number of election staff and machinery which is mainly drawn from the respective State Governments…,” it said.

“Commission wishes you to appreciate that your comments/ observations/ allegations given in the aforesaid post borders on vitiating the constitutionally mandated work of ECI,” the poll panel wrote.