Attempt to push biased narrative: EC slams Kharge for his letter over delay in voter turnout data

Attempt to push biased narrative: EC over Kharge's letter on voter turnout data

On May 10, the Election Commission took strong exception to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's letter to opposition leaders over voter turnout data, terming it an attempt to "push a biased narrative" under the guise of seeking clarifications.

The poll panel, in a five-page response with annexures, declined charges of mismanagement and delay in the release of voter turnout data and termed Kharge's allegations "unwarranted", "without facts" and "reflective of a biased and deliberate attempt to spread confusion", according to a report by news agency PTI.

Kharge had recently written to the leaders of various parties of the INDIA opposition bloc questioning the alleged discrepancies in the voting data released by the Election Commission (EC).

"As the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), it should be our collective endeavour to safeguard democracy and protect the independent functioning of the ECI. All the aforementioned facts force us to ask a question -- could this be an attempt to doctor the final results?" he asked.

The poll panel said it found Kharge's letter, placed in the public domain in the middle of the ongoing electoral process, "highly undesirable" and designed to create confusion, misdirection and impediment to the conduct of smooth, free and fair elections.

"Through innuendos and insinuations, the contents of the post, tend to create disharmony in respect of the delicate space of election management, can plant doubts in the minds of voters and political parties and potentially created an anarchic situation, when you said 'could this be an attempt to doctor the final results?' which this Commission hopes you do not have any intention of," the PTI report quoted EC as saying.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took to X and said that the approach of the EC in addressing these issues is deeply regrettable. "The Congress president had raised perfectly legitimate issues, on which there have been widespread concern and comment. The approach of the Election Commission to addressing these issues is deeply regrettable," he wrote.

"We all know how Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and the BJP are visibly flustered and frustrated by the voting trends and their receding electoral fortunes in the first two phases. The entire nation knows that an autocratic regime, drunk with power, can go to any extent to stay in the chair," Kharge had said.

"I would urge all of you that we must collectively, unitedly and unequivocally raise our voice against such discrepancies, for our only objective is to protect the culture of a vibrant democracy and the Constitution," he added.