Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | I.N.D.I.A. bloc leaders meet EC over voter turnout data, alleged model code violations

New Delhi: I.N.D.I.A. bloc and the Election Commission on Friday sparred over the conduct of Lok Sabha polls with the Opposition parties repeating their concerns and the poll body writing a unprecedented letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claiming that people will hold the doubt raised by him with "contempt".

A delegation of Opposition leaders met the EC with a seven page memorandum repeating the observations raised by Kharge in his letters to I.N.D.I.A. partners as well as seeking action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "hate speech". The meeting lasted for around 45 minutes.

Just hours before the Opposition leaders' meeting with the poll body, the EC released its response to Kharge's letter that was posted on social media platforms days ago in which he wondered whether the Election Commission’s refusal to publish actual voting data, delay in releasing poll turnout data and non-publication of final voters’ list for next phases are an “attempt to doctor” the Lok Sabha results.

In its memorandum, the Opposition leaders claimed that the ongoing elections has witnessed the "most egregious and blatant" violations of electoral laws every committed by those in the ruling party, especially those "occupying the highest Constitutional offices under our Constitution". It alleged that "no meaningful action" has been taken by the EC to penalise those who are guilty in the ruling party.

It also questioned the delay in officially publicising the voter turnout in the first two phases, especially the 11 day delay in providing the phase 1 data. "There is a delay in providing the data. More concern is about the huge rise in percentage recorded from the day of polling and the publication of final data," senior Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

SP's Javed Ali Khan said they also raised the issue of police's action of giving 'red cards' to certain people not to be present 200 metres near a polling station on the day of polling. He claimed that the EC has said that it is not under law and it will look into the complaint.

Sources said Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien questioned why no action is being taken against Modi and Shah while wondering whether coming to the EC itself is a routine exercise where the Commissioners listen but do nothing. "We demand from you some action to save the credibility of this great institution that you are heading," O'Brien is learnt to have told the EC.

The memorandum also raised the issue of "repeated violation" of Model Code of Conduct by Modi who is indulging in "hate speech". Singhvi said the Congress itself has filed 11 complaints against Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

In its 21-page response with annexures to Kharge, the EC Senior Principal Secretary Sumit Mukherjee alleged, "Commission has come to notice a design/pattern in creating false narrative during election period, which unfortunately appears to be continued by your letter."

He said the very premise that voter turnout data was released late is "devoid of facts" as it has always been available on Voter Turnout App and the EC has not changed the "design or periodicity" of displaying turnout data in any manner. 

Citing annexure 1 attached with the letter, he said there was no delay in release of data this time. The annexure 1 showed that the EC released data for 2019 phase 1 polls (on April 11) on April 18 at 69.4% through a press conference. However, it did not mention that the EC had issued a press release, which is available on the PIB website, that it had issued a statement on 13 April, 2019 itself that the turnout was 69.43%.

The 13 April, 2019 statement also had a link which provided the actual number of voters and number of those who voted in the election in phase 1. This time, the EC has not provided the actual number of voters who cast their votes though it recently gave the total number of voters in constituencies that went to polls in three phases.

It also cited some media reports of April 20 to claim that there was no delay in sharing data. However, the EC had not officially released such data which spoke about 64% voting in phase 1. There was no response from the Election Commission on why it did not mention the 13 April, 2019 press release or other issues.