ECI rebuts turnout irregularity claims, calls allegations an attempt to discredit transparent polls

New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS) A day after the Congress expressed concerns about the “sizable increase” in voter turnout after polling hours during this year’s Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) dismissed the allegations as part of a “false campaign”.The poll body stated that the allegations are an attempt to undermine the largest and most transparently conducted elections in human history.The ECI in a post on X said: “False campaign is being run by some (other than candidates) in furtherance of a design to discredit the largest elections ever held in the history of mankind in the most transparent manner involving candidates/ stakeholders at every stage of elections.””Unfounded attempts are made to compare the approximate turnout figure at 7 p.m. on poll day (when many PS might be closing the poll &/or voters waiting in the queue) with ‘End of Poll’ turnout available a day after poll day. Electoral data & outcomes are strictly as per statutory forms & procedures,” the poll body further said.The ECI said: “While the legitimate means to challenge an electoral outcome by a candidate or elector is through an Election Petition u/RPA 1951, no EP is reportedly filed on such grounds. A lesser number of EPs have been reportedly filed in 79 PCs in GE 2024, as against 138 EPs in GE 2019.”Earlier, on Saturday, All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Sandeep Dikshit urged the Election Commission of India to address a report by the civil society group Vote for Democracy, Maharashtra, titled “Conduct of Lok Sabha Elections 2024″.”Their main point is that the initial figures given on polling day and the final turnout figures differ a lot. In some phases, the difference was four per cent, some six per cent. This comes at a time when people swear by the EVM and say that everything is revealed through the EVM. I can’t believe that after 7 p.m., 10 per cent votes were cast. This creates suspicion,” Dikshit said.–IANSbrt/pgh