NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Saturday pushed back against allegations of large-scale manipulation of voter lists, stressing that political parties had ample opportunity to scrutinise the rolls during the official “claims and objections” period but failed to raise concerns in time.
In a statement, the poll panel said that some parties and their booth-level agents “did not examine the electoral rolls at the appropriate time and did not point out errors, if any.” It underlined that this window is designed precisely to allow parties and electors to check the draft lists and seek corrections before they are finalised.
The EC noted that physical and digital copies of draft rolls are routinely shared with recognised parties, besides being uploaded on its website for public access. Once published, the final list is again circulated to all political parties, and a system of appeals is in place for anyone dissatisfied with the decisions of the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs).
The commission maintained that it continues to welcome scrutiny of the rolls, saying, “Such oversight helps the EROs identify and rectify mistakes, ensuring the purity of the electoral roll, which has always been our objective.”
The statement comes at a time when the poll body is facing mounting criticism from the Opposition. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that fake voters were inserted in key constituencies to favour the BJP, claiming that irregularities may have influenced the outcome in dozens of seats where margins were narrow. The EC has dismissed the charge and, according to officials, asked Gandhi to provide documentary proof or withdraw his accusations.
Separately, in Bihar, the Commission is conducting a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls ahead of the assembly polls. Opposition parties there have alleged that the exercise could disenfranchise large numbers of genuine voters. The EC has countered that all parties were given detailed lists of proposed deletions, covering deaths, migrations, duplicate entries and other grounds, along with clear instructions on how to file objections.
The Commission is scheduled to hold a press conference on Sunday, where it is expected to address both the recent controversies and explain the safeguards built into the voter roll revision process.
(WIth inputs from PTI)