New Delhi. The Election Commission has rejected Congress’s allegations of irregularities in Haryana elections and tampering with Electronic Voting Machines i.e. EVMs. After the results, Congress had made allegations of various irregularities. But the Election Commission, in its 1600-page reply, has rejected the allegations of irregularities made by the Congress as baseless, wrong and baseless. The Commission asked the Congress party to desist from making baseless allegations after every election.
The Election Commission urged the Congress not to make irresponsible allegations at sensitive times like voting and counting days as such allegations could lead to public unrest and anarchy. Citing five specific cases in the last one year, the Election Commission advised the grand old party Congress and said that a national party like Congress should avoid habitual attacks on election-related work without any evidence.
Responding to Congress’s allegations, the Election Commission wrote to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge that every stage of the electoral process in Haryana was without any irregularities and was carried out under the supervision of Congress candidates or agents. The Election Commission sent a 1,642-page reply, which included a variety of evidence. The Commission said that authorized representatives of Congress candidates were present at every stage.
It is noteworthy that apart from Congress’s complaint with the Election Commission, this matter has also reached the Supreme Court. On October 16, Priya Mishra and Vikas Bansal, on behalf of the Congress, had filed a petition in the Supreme Court alleging irregularities in voting and counting on 20 seats during the Haryana Assembly elections. It was said in the petition that the Election Commission has conducted elections in Haryana using EVMs. The results have also been declared on the same basis. But, some EVMs were working at 99 per cent battery capacity, while some were working at 60 to 70 and less than 80 per cent battery capacity.