HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, April 22: The Election Commission on Tuesday refuted Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of abnormal voter turnout in the Maharashtra polls, asserting that any “misinformation” being spread was a sign of disrespect towards the law and hurt the efforts of political workers and polling personnel.
They also said such claims brought disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by political parties and demotivated lakhs of election staff working untiringly and transparently during elections.
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After any unfavourable verdict by voters, trying to defame the Election Commission (EC) by saying that it had been compromised is completely absurd, the poll body sources said.
On Monday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Gandhi alleged in Boston, US, that, in simple terms, more people voted in the Maharashtra assembly election than there were adults in the state.
Gandhi had alleged that the Election Commission was “compromised” and said that he noted an “unusual” increase in the voter turnout in the last two hours of voting during the Maharashtra Assembly polls.
“Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards Law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their own political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections,” the ECI said in a statement.
“…After any unfavourable verdict by the voters, trying to defame the Election Commission by saying that it is compromised, is completely absurd,” the statement further read.
Reading out facts which showed efficiency of the robust system placed by the commission, the ECI stated that nearly 116 Lakh voters could have voted in last two hours. Therefore, casting of 65 lakhs votes by electors in two hours was much below the average hourly voting trends
“During the Assembly Elections in Maharashtra 6,40,87,588 electors, who reached the polling station from 7 am to 6 pm, voted. About 58 lakh votes were polled per hour on an average. Going by these average trends, nearly 116 Lakh voters could have voted in last two hours. Therefore, casting of 65 lakhs votes by electors in two hours is much below the average hourly voting trends,” the statement read.
The ECI stated that in every polling booth, the voting progressed in front of the polling agents formally appointed by candidates/political parties.
Refuting allegations, the ECI further stated that INC’s nominated candidates or their authorized agents had not raised any substantiated allegations with regards to any kind of abnormal voting at the time of scrutiny before the Returning Officer (RO) and the Election Observers on the next day.
“Electoral Rolls in India including Maharashtra are prepared as per the Representation of People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. As per law, either just before the elections and/or once every year, Special Summary Revision of the Electoral Rolls is conducted and a final copy of the Electoral Rolls is handed over to all the National/State political parties, including Indian National Congress (INC),” the statement read.
After the finalisation of these Electoral Rolls during Maharashtra elections, as against 9,77,90,752 electors, only a total of 89 appeals were filed before the 1st appellate authority (DM) and only 1 appeal was filed before the 2nd appellate authority (CEO). Therefore, it is amply clear that there was no grievance of INC or any other political parties before the conduct of Maharashtra Assembly Elections in 2024, the ECI stated.
Pointing out further about the process of revision of electoral rolls the ECI stated that for 1,00,427 Polling Booths, along with 97,325 Booth Level Officers appointed by the EROs, 1,03,727 Booth Level Agents were also appointed by all Political Parties, including 27,099 by INC.
“The Election Commission had brought out all these facts in its reply to INC on December 24, 2024 itself which is available on ECI’s website. It appears that all these facts are completely being ignored while raising such issues again and again,” the statement read. (With inputs from PTI)
