New Delhi, Jun 9 (PTI) Firing yet another salvo at the Election Commission, the Congress on Monday said the credibility of the poll panel is at stake and it must answer all questions posed by the opposition party as transparency is not a favour but a constitutional obligation.
The Congress has been demanding that the EC make public the voter rolls for Maharashtra and Haryana to restore the trust and credibility of our election process. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged rigging in Maharashtra assembly elections, a charge outrightly rejected by the Election Commission.
On Monday, the Chief Electoral Office in Maharashtra said that annually revised electoral rolls were provided to Congress and other parties at the draft and final stages in 2024.
“A similar exercise was done in 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024 and copies of such electoral rolls were then shared with INC, as well as with other political parties.
“A complete copy of electoral roll used in general elections to Legislative Assembly, Maharashtra-2024 is also available on the website for the public to freely download,” it said on X.
The chief electoral officer of Maharashtra had reiterated this statutory position on May 22 to a Member of Parliament of the Congress, who had sought a copy of the electoral rolls that were already provided to the INC at the time of the revision in 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024, the post said.
After reports that the EC is ready to share the electoral-roll data for Haryana and Maharashtra, Gandhi lauded the decision as “a good first step” and urged the poll body to announce the exact date by which the data will be handed over in a digital, machine-readable format.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in a statement, said the article authored by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, published in multiple national and regional newspapers, raises grave and legitimate questions about the transparency and integrity of the electoral process, particularly in the context of the recently concluded 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
“In response to this article, a letter surfaced purportedly from the Election Commission of India. However, we categorically state that the authenticity of this letter remains questionable. As Gandhi rightly pointed out addressing the ECI: ‘You are a Constitutional body. Releasing unsigned, evasive notes to intermediaries is not the way to respond to serious questions’.
“This lack of transparency from a constitutional body mandated to ensure free and fair elections is deeply concerning. The Congress Party, committed to upholding democratic values and electoral integrity, supports the critical questions raised by Rahul Gandhi and reiterates them publicly,” Kharge said in his statement.
“Transparency is not a favour, it is a constitutional obligation.
“Democracy cannot survive on the basis of opaque processes and unverifiable data. The Congress Party stands firm with Rahul Gandhi’s call for full transparency and institutional accountability. The credibility of the Election Commission is at stake, and we urge it to uphold the standards expected of a neutral and constitutional authority,” the Congress chief also said.
“The citizens of India deserve answers. The integrity of our democracy demands it,” he asserted.
Gandhi, in a post on X, shared the screenshot of a media report that claimed that the EC has cleared the way for sharing the electoral-roll data for Haryana and Maharashtra from 2009 to 2024, following an assurance it gave to the Delhi High Court earlier in the year.
There was, however, no official word from the EC on the reported move as yet.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, “Good first step taken by EC to hand over voter rolls.” “Can the EC please announce the exact date by which this data will be handed over in a digital, machine-readable format?” the former Congress chief asked.
After Gandhi sought the EC’s response to his article alleging rigging in last year’s Maharashtra Assembly election, sources in the poll panel said on Sunday that the constitutional body will respond only if the leader of opposition writes to it directly.
They also pointed out that as part of its outreach, the EC had invited all six national parties for separate interactions. While the other five met the EC brass, Congress cancelled the May 15 meeting.
Kharge also repeated allegations of an “unexplained” voter surge in Maharashtra, “discrepancy” in voter turnout figures and “non-publication” of voter lists and urged the EC to answer.
He also again criticised the alleged dilution of the Election Commissioner appointment process. “Why was the judiciary removed from a process meant to ensure independence?” he asked.
If the Election Commission of India has nothing to hide, then it must release the consolidated, digital, and machine-readable voter rolls for both the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, with full version history and timestamps of updates, Kharge said.
He also sought access to all post-5 PM CCTV footage or videography from polling booths across Maharashtra during the Assembly elections.
The Congress’ Empowered Action Group of Leaders and Experts (EAGLE) also said that the party welcomes EC’s decision to share voter list data, if reports are true.
The panel said it is well known that since November 2024, the Congress party has been raising alarm over the issue of voter list manipulation in the Maharashtra state elections of 2024.
The only way to get to the bottom of this is to compare the final voter list of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with the final voter list of the 2024 Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra, the EAGLE said.
“In fact, true to the spirit of transparency and neutrality, the EC must make public final voter lists of every election for every state as a matter of public good and restore the trust and credibility of our election process,” the Congress leaders and expert group said.
In an article published in “The Indian Express”, Gandhi had alleged “match-fixing” in the Maharashtra polls and claimed that it would next happen in the Bihar election and “anywhere the BJP is losing”. PTI SKC MR RT RT RT RT
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