'Would Respond in Writing…': EC Reacts as Rahul Gandhi Cries Foul Over Maharashtra Polls

New Delhi: After the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi , criticized the Election Commission and raised concerns over EVMs, the Commission has responded to his allegations.

The Election Commission asserted that it considers political parties as priority stakeholders and stated that it would respond in writing with a full factual and procedural matrix addressing the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition.

In a statement, the ECI said, “ECI considers political parties as priority stakeholders, with voters being the prime focus. We deeply value the views, suggestions, and questions from political parties. The Commission will respond in writing with a full factual and procedural matrix uniformly adopted across the country.”
 

Rahul Gandhi Criticizes EC, EVMs After Exit Polls Predict Congress Defeat

In a joint press conference, Rahul Gandhi alleged irregularities in the Maharashtra elections and accused the government of influencing the Election Commission. He asserted that he would pursue an investigation into the matter.

Speaking alongside Opposition leaders, the Lok Sabha LoP claimed that large-scale discrepancies were found in voter registration and election management. The Maharashtra Opposition has also alleged electoral irregularities and has demanded access to the voter list for transparency.

Rahul Gandhi’s accusations against the Election Commission regarding alleged foul play with EVMs are not new, as he has raised similar concerns in the past. These allegations come just ahead of the Delhi election results, which are set to be announced on Saturday, with exit polls predicting a complete wipeout for Congress.

“We Have Found Multiple Irregularities in Maharashtra Elections”: Rahul Gandhi

“We represent the entire opposition of Maharashtra at this table,” Rahul Gandhi stated in a media briefing. “We have found multiple irregularities in the Maharashtra elections, including the sudden addition of 32 lakh voters—equivalent to the total voter base of Himachal Pradesh .”

The Opposition further alleged that the Election Commission underwent questionable changes, including the appointment of a new Election Commissioner under alleged influence from the central government. “The EC had more registered voters than the actual population of Maharashtra. We demand full transparency in the process,” they stated.

Additionally, Opposition parties pointed out inconsistencies in vote counts, noting that Congress received nearly the same number of votes in both the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, raising suspicions of potential manipulation.

They are now demanding access to the Lok Sabha election voter list to verify the authenticity of the electoral roll. “We need to understand what actually happened in the Maharashtra elections. Ensuring transparency was not our responsibility, but we demand it now,” they asserted.

Rahul Gandhi Poses Questions to the Election Commission

Ahead of the Delhi election results, Rahul Gandhi raised further questions before the Election Commission.

“In the five years between the 2019 Vidhan Sabha elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, 32 lakh voters were added. However, in just five months between the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—where these parties (Congress, NCP-SP, Shiv Sena UBT) won and the Vidhan Sabha elections, 39 lakh voters were added. The question is, who are these 39 lakh voters? That number is equivalent to the entire voting population of Himachal Pradesh.

Furthermore, why does Maharashtra suddenly have more voters than its total population? Somehow, voters have seemingly been created out of nowhere,” Gandhi questioned.

Delhi Assembly Election Results: Exit Polls Predict Congress Wipeout

The Delhi Assembly elections have concluded, and exit polls predict a decisive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ). Three exit polls released on Thursday suggest that the BJP will win between 45-61 seats in the 70-member House, with a vote share ranging from 48-49 percent.

Axis My India, which accurately predicted the 2020 Delhi election results, has projected that Congress is expected to win between 0-1 seats. Similarly, CNX predicts that Congress may open its account in the Assembly after a 10-year gap, securing 0-1 seats with a 5.37 percent vote share.

All three exit polls indicate a significant lead for the BJP over the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Congress, which has been struggling to regain its foothold in Delhi, may finally secure a seat in the Assembly after a decade-long absence.