‘Attempt to spread confusion’: EC on Mallikarjun Kharge’s voting process ‘insinuations’

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has firmly rebuffed allegations of mismanagement and delay in the release of voter turnout data. Dismissing such accusations as baseless and potentially damaging to the democratic process, the ECI said they were “reflective of a biased and deliberate attempt to spread confusion.”

The Election Commission’s strongly-worded letter came in response to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s concerns about the delay in publishing voter turnout figures during the ongoing polls. Kharge had also questioned the integrity of the voting process.

The letter, issued on Friday, May 10, warned the Congress president that such unfounded accusations “can have a negative impact on voter participation” and can “demoralise the huge number of election staff.”

The EC fully respects the right to free speech and considers it to be the privilege of political parties and their leaders to correspond and communicate with each other, it said.

ALSO READ | Watch: Voter cards found in garbage dump in Maharashtra’s Jalna

In response to Kharge’s “allegations/insinuations,” the EC gave a thorough explanation, addressing each point and referring to the laws and rules that govern how turnout data is released.

The commission made it clear that the release of voter turnout data followed strict rules and timelines. They made sure that every political party and candidate had access to detailed information from each polling station. This way, everyone had access to the same information at the same time.

The EC also disagreed with Kharge’s accusation that they purposely delayed releasing data from areas where certain parties didn’t do well before. It explained that the process of collecting and sharing voter turnout information has been fair and open in all elections.

ALSO READ | ‘I had promised to come back soon, here I am,’ Kejriwal on his release from Tihar after 51-day stay

Every political party has access to voter information for each area during the entire election process, making sure that everything is transparent, the EC said.

Moreover, the poll body also warned against spreading false narratives during elections, citing a past incident where a leader from Kharge’s party got into trouble for spreading false information about electronic voting machines (EVMs). It said politicians should behave responsibly to maintain trust in the election process.

The commission reminded the senior Congress leader that during elections, they avoid commenting on political parties and shoulder the responsibility for addressing public concerns independently. However, they found Kharge’s recent public communication during the ongoing election period “highly undesirable and one that appears designed to create confusion” in the smooth conduct of free and fair elections, which goes against the ECI’s constitutional mandate.

Therefore, in order to maintain the integrity of the election process, the EC rejected outright Kharge’s “insinuations and allegations” and advised him “to exercise caution and refrain in making such statements.”

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow