Key Points

In a post on social media X, ICSSR alleged that CSDS had also published media stories based on a biased interpretation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise being conducted by the Election Commission of India.

https://x.com/icssr/status/1957834226684031182

"It has come to the notice of ICSSR that an individual holding responsible position at CSDS, an ICSSR-funded research institute, has made media statements that had to be retracted subsequently citing glitches in data analysis regarding elections in Maharashtra.

Further, the institute has published media stories based on biased interpretation of the SIR exercise by the Election Commission of India.

ICSSR holds the Indian constitution in highest esteem. Election Commision of India is a high constitutional body which has been holding free and fair elections in the largest democracy of world for decades together," the post read.

ICCSR further wrote in their post that cognisance had been taken of the data manipulation and the attempt by CSDS to create a narrative of undermining the sanctity of the ECI, stating it as a "gross violation" of the Grant-in-Aid rules of ICCSR.

"ICSSR takes serious cognizance of the data manipulation by CSDS and its attempt to create a narrative with the intention of undermining the sanctity of the Election Commision of India. This is a gross violation of the Grant-in-Aid rules of ICSSR, and ICSSR shall issue a Show Cause Notice to the Institute," the post further read.

Earlier, Psephologist Sanjay Kumar, who is the co-director of Lokniti-CSDS (Centre for the Study of Developing Societies), on Tuesday issued a clarification over a post on X concerning data of Maharashtra elections, which he deleted after issuing an apology.

Sanjay Kumar told ANI that he rechecked the data after receiving information that the information in his post was wrong.

"Actually, we (mistakenly) compared assembly constituency number 125 (Nashik West) data with 124 and 50 (Hingna) with 49, which is one row back; that's why the information we got was wrong," Kumar said."The data provided by EC regarding Maharashtra state assembly polls shows that in six months, slightly more than 40 lakh voters have been added to the voters' list," he added.

Although Kumar acknowledged a "slight" unusual increase in the number of voters between the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Maharashtra, he said that this could happen if the voters were left out in the updation of the voter list during the LS polls and found their way in the updation for the assembly polls.

The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) is the apex body of the Government of India for research in the social and human sciences. Founded in 1969, ICSSR operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

- ANI