Won’t accept Haryana assembly result, says Congress

The Congress pointed out 'serious discrepancies' with the counting process and the functioning of the EVMs in around 14 constituencies and said it would approach the ECI on the same.
Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera address a press conference at AICC headquarters, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024.
Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera address a press conference at AICC headquarters, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. PTI Photo
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NEW DELHI: A 'shocked' and 'surprised' Congress on Tuesday said that it will not accept the Haryana assembly results as it raises “serious questions” about the integrity of the instruments of the democratic system.

The Congress pointed out “serious discrepancies” with the counting process and the functioning of the EVMs (electronic voting machines) in around 14 constituencies and said it would approach the Election Commission on the same.

Addressing a press conference in the capital, All India Congress Committee’s general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Haryana result is a victory of manipulations, and subverting the will of people. He also alleged that it is a defeat of the transparent and democratic processes.

“The results in Haryana are totally unexpected, completely surprising and counter-intuitive. It goes against ground reality. It goes against what the people of Haryana had made their minds up for, which was for change and transformation. I think under these circumstances, it is not possible for us to accept the results that have been announced today,” said Ramesh.

“Victory has been snatched from us in Haryana... the results are against the sentiment of the people, which was for change. The Congress has been made to lose in Haryana and the chapter is not closed,” the Congress leader said.

The party has received serious complaints on the process of counting, and the malfunctioning of EVMs in at least three districts, he said.

“We have spoken to our senior colleagues in Haryana and serious questions have been raised by our candidates. We hope to present this in a consolidated form to the Election Commission tomorrow or day after. We will seek time... We will bring it to the notice of the Election Commission and what we have seen today in Haryana is a victory for manipulation, a victory for subverting the will of the people and it is a defeat for transparent democratic processes,” he said.

The party leaders also alleged that the EVMs that had 99 per cent battery showed that the party was losing, but the machines that had lower batteries showed it was winning.

“The EVM is manipulated in some parts of Haryana,” said Congress leader Pawan Khera. Ramesh has also written to the Election Commission, alleging a “slowdown” in updating trends for the Haryana elections on the EC website.

“Like Lok Sabha elections, in Haryana we are again witnessing slowing down of uploading up-to-date trends on the ECI website. Is the BJP trying to build pressure on the administration by sharing outdated and misleading trends @ECISVEEP?” he wrote on X.

However, the Election Commission responded to Ramesh, saying that the allegations are baseless.

“Approximately 25 rounds across all constituencies are being updated every five minutes. Counting is being done as per statutory provisions,” the poll body wrote on X.

“The Commission notes that previously on June 4, 2024, in the context of General Elections 2024, a somewhat similar concern was raised by INC, which was ill founded and dismissed by the Commissioner.” the election commission said.

Thanking the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their decisive mandate to the NC-INC alliance, Ramesh further said that the coalition government will be transparent and answerable. They said, the top most priority of the government will be restoration of the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. There will be a common programme, apart from the respective manifestoes of the two parties. The alliance will provide a “responsible, responsive, accountable and transparent government”, he said.

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir have given a clear and categorical verdict in favour of the NC-INC alliance”, they said, pointing out how the BJP tried till last minute to manipulate and cobble up a majority by various means. “People of JK have defeated the mischievous designs of the BJP to engineer a majority of their own,” he said.

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