The Election Commission has in an elaborate response to the Congress explained voter enrolment and turnout threadbare and refuted the party's complaints of manipulation in the recent Maharashtra polls.
Last month, the Congress alleged "serious and grave inconsistencies" in voter registration and turnout and its Maha Vikas Aghadi bloc MLAs deferred their oath in the Assembly in protest. The state government had stalled a self-styled ballot repoll in a village in Maharashtra.
The poll agency said: "The issue raised in your representation regarding 50 ACs (Assembly constituencies) with an average addition of 50,000 electors between July 2024 and November 2024 is misleading and factually incorrect. The factual position pertaining to the enrolment of electors between the period of Lok Sabha election 2024 and the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha election 2024 indicates that there are only 6 ACs and not 50 ACs, where total additions were over 50,000 electors. Thus, the question of the ruling regime and its allies winning 47 seats out of these 50 seats (factually non-existent) on this basis does not arise.
"Further, it has been ascertained from the CEO (chief electoral officer), Maharashtra, that INC (Congress) had indeed been informed and copies of draft rolls, claims and objections, were provided to INC in all the constituencies of Maharashtra and thatINC representatives indeed participated in the revision of electoral rolls at various stages till the finalisation of electoral rolls," it said.
In its 66-page reply, parts of which have also been used to update the frequently asked questions on the poll panel's website, the commission explained each step of the enrolment process and the involvement of political parties.
It elaborated on the timeline of voter turnout updates, reminding the Congress that voters in queue continue to vote after polls close and the final turnout includes postal ballots and repolling.
"Further, w.r.t. the complaint of a huge number of additions in Maharashtra, it is clarified that there is an addition of 48,81,620 electors and deletion of 8,00,391 resulting in a net addition of 40,81,229 electors in the electoral roll between the period of Lok Sabha election 2024 to Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha Election 2024.
"At the outset, it is hereby stated that due to recent amendments in the Representation of the People Act, 1950, there are 04 qualifying dates in a calendar year i.e. 1st January, 1st April, 1st July and 1st October…. Thus, 26,46,608 young electors falling in the age group of 18-29 were added out of the total addition of 40,81,229 electors during the period," the poll panel said.
The Maharashtra CEO has also uploaded booth-wise results of the polls. The panel said: "Considering 5pm data as the final voter turnout or as its closest approximation is merely a misconception."
When similar issues were raised during the general election earlier this year, the commission started issuing an additional press note around 11.45pm on poll day, though the data was being continuously updated on the voter turnout app.
"However, the voting data provided at 11.45pm on the day of poll can also not be considered as final voter turnout, as it is also not possible to provide the final voter turnout data before the scrutiny of election papers, which is held on the next day of poll in the presence of the candidates and observers. Also, some polling parties may not have been able to return/submit their documents by that time," the EC said.