NEW DELHI: Strongly refuting the Congress’ charges of irregularities in the recently concluded Haryana assembly polls, the Election Commission of India on Tuesday termed them ‘baseless and devoid of facts’.
Formally responding to a slew of representations by the Congress leveling charges of ‘irregularities’, the ECI in a letter to the AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge outlined its findings, asserting that each stage of the electoral process was meticulously conducted under the observation of his party’s candidates or their agents in the democratic processes.
“The Commission categorically rejects all baseless allegations and apprehensions conveyed by INC regarding all aspects of the electoral process in the recently concluded election to the state assembly of Haryana,” the ECI said in its statement.
The poll panel went on to add: “It normally refrains from responding to grievances relating to constituency specific decentralised electoral processes, whether in case of electoral roll or candidates or deployment of man and material or conduct of poll or counting, as officials like ERO/ RO/DEO are fully empowered election authorities.”
The ECI, however, contended that it was duty bound to protect and defend “the integrity of the core design of this statutory decentralised scheme, that is being sought to be eroded or duplicated, by ‘generic’ petitions/grievances setting out false narratives without any evidence whatsoever”, which are being raised in proximity to polling or counting day and these have serious potential to fuel the surcharged environment.
The poll panel also said that raising such complaints can cause issues in the country. “It is needless to remind that such frivolous and unfounded doubts have the potential of creating turbulence when crucial steps like polling and counting are in live play, a time when both public and political parties’ anxiousness is peaking,” it noted.
Noting that the approach of the Congress “carrying baseless allegations” publicly “disconcerting” the ECI said that it is “compelled to note that with no evidence whatsoever of any statutory electoral step being compromised and candidate’s consent to proceed to each next stage being on record; the INC has once again raised the smoke of a ‘generic’ doubt about the credibility of an entire electoral outcome exactly in similar manner as it has done in recent past”.
The poll panel also mentioned various Constitutional Courts delivered 42 judgments affirming the reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) after thoroughly examining available records and evidence.
The Congress had stated that EVMs associated with the BJP victory displayed battery levels of 99 per cent, while those indicating victories for Congress showed only 60-70 per cent charge.
In response, the EC said that it has released comprehensive information on its website addressing common questions about EVM battery operations. The FAQ section elaborates on multiple technical aspects of the power systems used in EVMs. The information also addresses a specific query about why the power pack indicator often displays 99 per cent charge even after continuous usage throughout polling day, it added.