KOCHI: Pointing an accusing finger at the ECI (Election Commission of India), political economist Parakala Prabhakar said that the commission has not announced the percentage of polling in the second phase of the recent Lok Sabha elections, adding that an additional 5 crore votes were counted in this election. He was addressing an interaction programme named ‘The State of the Indian Economy’ organised by Sabarmati Study and Research Centre under the Congress district unit here, on Wednesday.
Parakala said that there was a strong suspicion that the number of votes polled and the number of votes counted varied in the second phase of the elections. “So, there is an overall difference of almost five crore votes,” he pointed out.
The BJP won more seats at this stage where there was a huge difference between the votes cast and the votes counted. As many as 79 seats in 15 states were important in this phase and the difference is higher in these states. So these five crores votes in these 79 seats made things in favour of the BJP, he added. Parakala said in Kerala also it happened, including the Thrissur seat won by the BJP.
He said the ECI failed to take action against repeated violations of the model code of conduct and even decided the phases of the polls considering the convenience of the Prime Minister and the ruling party.
In reply to an RTI application, the ECI said they did not have the contacts of the returning officers, but they have the contact of Amit Shah, he alleged.