The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has reached out to the leaders of the INDIA bloc regarding purported inconsistencies in the voting data released by the Election Commission. In a letter, Kharge encouraged the bloc’s leaders to vocally address these discrepancies as part of their commitment to preserving a robust democratic culture and upholding the Constitution.
Kharge articulated concerns over the delayed release of voter turnout data for the first two phases of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, questioning the Election Commission’s departure from its usual practice of releasing such data within 24 hours of polling. He highlighted the significant adjustments to voter turnout figures released days after the initial phases, with increases of approximately 5.5% and 5.74% reported for the first and second phases, respectively.
The Congress President also criticized the lack of transparency in the provided data, noting the absence of detailed turnout figures by parliamentary and assembly constituencies, which could elucidate whether the turnout increases were uniform across all areas. He suggested that such details are crucial for assessing whether these increases predominantly occurred in regions where the ruling party underperformed in the 2019 elections.
Kharge’s statement on the social media platform X also included a call for the Election Commission to publish voter turnout data for each polling station, alongside any related complaints filed by political parties, especially in areas like Nagaland and Tripura where specific issues have been raised at the polling station level.
Amidst ongoing elections, with the third phase covering 93 constituencies across 11 states and Union territories, Kharge appealed to the public to vote in defense of the Constitution and democracy, emphasizing the importance of choosing leaders who will ensure the independence of national institutions from overarching political influence. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.
