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Key Points

The Congress party has formally requested digital voter lists and polling footage from the Election Commission for Maharashtra and Haryana elections. It alleges irregularities, including an unexplained surge in voters during the Maharashtra assembly polls. The party claims the EC has been evasive in sharing documents despite repeated requests. Congress insists transparency is crucial to address public suspicion over electoral integrity.

Key Points: Congress Demands Voter Lists Poll Footage for Maharashtra Haryana

  • Congress questions sudden voter surge in Maharashtra polls
  • Party seeks digital copies of electoral rolls
  • Accuses EC of evasive responses
  • Demands polling day footage for transparency
2 min read

Congress demands voter lists, poll footage from EC for Maha and Haryana polls

Congress seeks digital voter lists and polling footage from EC, citing irregularities in Maharashtra and Haryana elections.

"This has never happened before and defies logic. Who are these new voters, and where did they come from? – Congress letter to EC"

New Delhi, June 26

The Congress party has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide machine-readable digital copies of the voter lists for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and subsequent Vidhan Sabha elections, particularly in Maharashtra and Haryana. It has also sought polling day video footage for both states.

“This has been a long-standing request which should be easy for the EC to comply with,” Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera posted on X on Thursday, requesting the material be provided within a week.

In a letter addressed to the EC, the party said that it has formed a dedicated group to coordinate election-related issues and cited the Commission’s June 12 letter to the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi offering a meeting to discuss concerns around the Maharashtra assembly polls.

“Since December 2024, through multiple letters, petitions, press conferences, and speeches in Parliament, we have raised serious concerns about the sudden, massive surge in voters during the Maharashtra 2024 assembly elections -- particularly the inexplicable spike in polling after 5 p.m.,” the letter stated.

Citing the EC’s own data, Congress said the number of new electors added between the Lok Sabha polls in May and the assembly elections in November 2024 exceeded the total additions made in the preceding five years combined.

“This has never happened before and defies logic. Who are these new voters, and where did they come from?” the letter questioned.

The party emphasized that any credible probe must begin with a comparison of the final electoral rolls of the two elections -- a request it claims has gone unanswered for seven months.

“Instead of simply sharing the voter lists, the EC has resorted to media leaks, evasive replies, and allegations,” the letter said.

“Do you or do you not have these lists? Not sharing polling day footage only adds to public suspicion,” the letter further said.

The letter criticised the Commission’s past responses as unhelpful and accused it of deflecting from core concerns by citing procedural explanations or claiming the lists were shared with individual candidates.

“The Congress leadership will be happy to meet with the Commission after receiving the requested documents, and we will present our findings in that meeting,” it said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
Transparency in elections is crucial for democracy. If Congress has genuine concerns about voter lists, EC should provide the data without delay. After all, we taxpayers fund these elections - we deserve accountability! 🇮🇳
P
Priya M.
Why is Congress raising this issue now after 7 months? Looks like political drama before state elections. EC should be given time to respond properly instead of these public demands on social media.
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Amit S.
The spike in voters after 5pm is indeed suspicious. EC must clarify this properly. In our democracy, even the ruling party shouldn't get special treatment. Full transparency please! 🙏
S
Sunita R.
As a voter from Maharashtra, I remember long queues after 5pm in some constituencies. If EC has nothing to hide, they should release all data. Democracy works only when institutions are fair to all parties.
V
Vikram J.
EC has always been impartial in our country. Congress is just trying to create confusion because they lost badly. If they had proof of wrongdoing, why wait so long? Political games at play here.
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Neha P.
Whether Congress or BJP, every party should have access to election data. This isn't about politics but about protecting our democratic process. EC must maintain its credibility by being transparent with all stakeholders.
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Karan D.
The tone of Congress's letter seems too aggressive. They should approach EC with more respect. But I agree - voter list data should be publicly available to all parties to maintain trust in our electoral system.

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