New Delhi, August 4: The Election Commission of India on Sunday reacted to reports by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) which claimed that there is a “discrepancy” in the number of votes polled and the number of votes counted in the 538 constituencies in the Lok Sabha elections. The counting of votes for the Lok Sabha Elections was held on June 4, 2024.
“False campaign is being run by some (other than candidates) in furtherance of design to discredit largest elections ever held in the history of mankind in most transparent manner involving candidates/ stakeholders at every stage of elections.”
“Unfounded attempts are made to compare approx turnout fig at 7pm on pollday (when many PS might be closing poll &/or voters waiting in queue) with ‘End of Poll’ turnout available a day after poll day. Electoral data & outcomes are strictly as per statutory forms & procedures u/RPA,” the Election Commission posted on X.
“While 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.”
“Largest elections are a given not an achievement because of the population. And the ECI has been anything but transparent in its decision making or the data it has shared. If you’re so clean, show the data,” the Election Commission posted, challenging the agency.
What Is The Whole Controversy?
Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), poll data body, recently claimed that there is a “discrepancy” in the number of votes polled and the number of votes counted in the 538 constituencies in the Lok Sabha election.
According to an analysis by the ADR released in a press conference on Monday (July 29), in the recent Lok Sabha polls a total of 5,54,598 votes counted are less than the votes polled in 362 parliamentary constituencies while a total of 35,093 votes have been counted in excess of the votes polled in 176 parliamentary constituencies.
“In addition, the inordinate delay in the release of final voter turnout data, absence of disaggregated constituency and polling station figures in absolute numbers and whether the elections results were declared based on final reconciled data has raised concerns and public suspicion regarding the correctness of the election results,” said ADR founder Jagdeep Chokkar while addressing a press conference. ADR, however, did not specify that in how many seats these difference of votes would have resulted in a different outcome.
