Maharashtra polls: Congress delegation meets ECI, raises voter addition, deletion issue

NEW DELHI: A delegation of the Congress party comprising senior party leaders today met the Election Commission of India and raised issues related to the Maharashtra elections.

The delegation included Dr. Abhishek Singhvi, Mukul Wasnik, Pawan Khera, Nana Patole, Praveen Chakravart,y and Gurdeep Sappal.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Dr Singhvi said, they had a detailed and comprehensive discussion with ECI in a positive and cordial atmosphere. He said the delegation raised some serious issues with the commission and sought detailed clarification for transparency and removing various doubts.

Dr Singhvi said the Congress delegation brought to the notice of the commission how lakhs of voters were deleted from the voter lists in Maharashtra. He said the delegation sought all the data at the booth and the constituency level as it could have influenced the result.

The senior Congress leader said the party delegation also raised the issue of the addition of 47 lakh voters to the list since the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections. He said the party has sought various details of the process involved in deleting and adding the names to the voter lists.

On the important and serious issue of polling percentage, he said, the party raised the issue of unprecedented increase in voting percentages from the seemingly provisional percentage and the final percentage. Dr. Singhvi said the polling percentage across Maharashtra was 58.22 percent at 5 pm, 65.02 percent at 11.30 pm on the day of polling, and finally 66.05 percent after two days. The party has demanded raw data about this as the substantial difference in the polling percentage can alter the final result.

The party also raised the issue of about 25,000 more votes cast in 118 constituencies this time as compared to the Lok Sabha elections. This massive jump in so many constituencies was surprising. More so, of these 118 constituencies, the ruling alliance won 102 constituencies, which raises serious questions and doubts.