“Congress President Alleges Election Commission’s Credibility Dip, Highlights Voting Data Discrepancies”

Mallikarjun Kharge, the President of the Indian National Congress, has raised serious concerns regarding the credibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in a letter addressed to leaders of INDIA bloc parties.

Kharge highlighted discrepancies in the voting data released by the ECI, asserting that the commission’s credibility has reached an all-time low.

In his letter, Kharge questioned the delay in the release of the final voting percentages for the first and second phases of the Lok Sabha elections, indicating that such delays cast doubt on the accuracy of the data provided by the Election Commission.

He pointed out that the final voter turnout data for the initial two phases of elections was released on April 30, which was 11 days after the first phase and four days after the second phase of polling.

This delay, Kharge noted, is unusual, as the poll body typically publishes voter turnout data within 24 hours of polling.

Kharge expressed skepticism about the significant increase in voting percentages reported in the final data compared to initial estimates.

He highlighted discrepancies between the initially reported percentages and the final figures, suggesting that such discrepancies raise questions about the authenticity of the data.

Moreover, Kharge criticized the Election Commission for failing to provide crucial details such as votes polled in each parliamentary and assembly constituency along with the voter turnout data.

He emphasized that the absence of these figures makes it difficult to ascertain if the reported increase in voter turnout was uniform across all constituencies or restricted to specific regions.

Expressing dismay over the non-release of the final registered voters list from the third phase onwards, Kharge labeled this omission as “extremely disconcerting” and called for accountability from the Election Commission regarding these issues.

Kharge also took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that they were “visibly flustered” and “frustrated” by the voting trends indicating their “receding electoral fortunes” in the initial phases of the elections.

He accused the ruling regime of authoritarian tendencies and urged INDIA bloc partners to unite against discrepancies in voting data.

In conclusion, Kharge’s letter underscores the urgent need to address the alleged mismanagement and discrepancies in the electoral process, urging collective action from opposition parties to ensure the integrity and fairness of the democratic process.