The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday reassured the Congress party that it would review all legitimate concerns raised regarding the recently-concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections, asserting that the entire election process had been transparent.
In its interim response to the Congress, the EC invited a party delegation to meet on December 3 to address the issues raised. The Congress had on Friday highlighted “serious and grave inconsistencies” in the data related to the polling and counting processes and requested an in-person hearing to present evidence.
The Election Commission responded by reaffirming that the electoral procedures were transparent, with candidates or their agents involved at every stage. It assured that any legitimate concerns raised by Congress would be thoroughly reviewed, and a written response would follow after hearing the party’s delegation.
Regarding the concerns about voter turnout data, the EC clarified that there were no discrepancies. The data, which was available at every polling station, was fully verifiable. It explained that the gap between the 5 pm polling data and the final voter turnout was due to procedural priorities, as presiding officers need to perform various statutory duties before updating the turnout figures.
The Commission also informed Congress that a new transparency measure, involving the release of a press note around 11:45 pm, was introduced during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and continued for subsequent assembly polls to ensure better disclosure of information.
The EC emphasized that the electoral roll update was a transparent process, carried out with the involvement of all political parties, ensuring the credibility of the election process.
