Mumbai: Responding to Congress’ allegations that the BJP-led Mahayuti won Maharashtra polls due to ‘serious inconsistencies’ in the election results, the Election Commission invited a Congress delegation on December 3 to address its concerns over the matter.
The EC told the Congress that all poll procedures followed in Maharashtra during the counting of votes were transparent, reported the India Today. The poll body also assured the party that it would review all its legitimate concerns. It has also assured to give a written response to the party.
The poll body also claimed that there was no discrepancy in the voter turnout data, adding it was verifiable. The gap in the 5 pm polling data and the final voter turnout was due to procedural priorities, the EC reiterated. Presiding officers perform multiple statutory duties near the close of polling before updating the voter turnout data, the EC stated, as quoted by the India Today.
Congress on Friday alleged “serious and grave inconsistencies” which it said were being revealed in the data relating to the polling and counting processes for the Maharashtra polls. The party had also sought an in-person hearing from the poll body to present relevant evidence.
The Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was routed in the November 20 polls, managing only 46 of the 288 Assembly seats. The Congress won 16, Shiv Sena (UBT) got 20 and Sharad Pawar’s NCP secured 10. The BJP-led Mahayuti won a massive 230 seats, with the BJP getting a record 132 seats, followed by Shiv Sena 57 and Ajit Pawar-led NCP 41.
The Congress has alleged that EVMs were rigged in Maharashtra. It demanded a return of the paper ballots system.
