Chief election commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Monday said “mischievous” narratives were spread to sway the Lok Sabha elections, the observation coming as the country awaits the counting of votes with bated breath.

Flanked by election commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S.S. Sandhu at a news conference here, Kumar described the “mischievous” narratives as the fifth menace after money, muscle, misinformation and model code violations.

“There was a pattern. First, a case comes up that the voter lists are defective…. In 15 days, we gave a thick affidavit saying the lists were OK…. Once elections started, the EVM matter started,” the CEC said.

He added: “I will tell you how this could spread anarchy in the country. The political contest is so heavy, the workers are charged up, candidates are competitive and if they are told that there is fraud, then imagine what a fire it can spark. This was a 2023 case, and our reply had been submitted as well. When did this come — four days before Phase I. In 2019 also such a case came four days before Phase I…. There is a pattern, there is a design. I am not saying there is a toolkit.”

The BJP had on Sunday complained that a resolution by civil society groups for vigilance during counting was a toolkit to create unrest.

The CEC denied the claim by Congress leaders that counting agents would not be allowed at the table of the assistant returning officer.

Responding to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s allegation that 150 district collectors had been intimidated by Union home minister Amit Shah, the poll panel asked him to submit factual details. Ramesh has refused to divulge the details as it would “jeopardise the careers” of the officials.

CEC Kumar said: “Some 30-35 lakh Form 17Cs have been issued to counting agents…. Is it possible to influence hundreds of officials? If yes, then tell us who has been influenced before the counting begins…. You can’t make an allegation without proof and cast doubts on everybody.”

He added: “The candidates and polling agents have not complained…. We will be fully transparent. Yet, if disturbance is created with mala fide intent then we will take strict action.”

Kumar said 64.2 crore of around 98.1 crore voters had exercised their electoral rights. Of them, 31.2 crore were women.

The turnout in special polling stations for internally displaced persons (IDPs) was 71.96 per cent in Inner Manipur and 51.72 per cent in Outer Manipur.

Unlike Kashmir’s IDPs, Manipur’s IDPs were only allowed to vote inside the state — despite large camps of IDPs from Outer Manipur located in Mizoram.

Repolling has dropped sharply from 540 booths in 2019 to 39 booths, of which 25 are in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. A record ₹10,000 crore worth of seizures have been made, almost triple the amount in 2019.

On the Opposition’s plea to revert to the pre-2019 norm of announcing EVM counts only after delcaring postal ballot counts, Kumar said: “The postal ballot scheme’s rule is 54A, which was introduced in 1964. At the time, there was no postal ballot for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, ETPBS and so on…. The rule is clear that postal ballot counting will start first…. After half an hour, we start the EVM count.”

He added: “It happened in 2019 and all Assembly elections that were held thereafter. We can’t change mid-course, because it is compliant with the rule. All counts progress as scheduled. After EVM count, the five VVPATs (per segment) are tallied…. In a majority of the booths, postal ballots are fewer and their counting finishes first.”

On the unopposed election of the BJP candidate in Surat where non-BJP candidates withdrew their nominations on the last day, Kumar said: “Our intention is that there should be a contest everywhere…. If a candidate is pressurised, confined, compelled by force, then we can act. If they did it on their own will, there was gaming like that, then how would I know this?”

Regarding Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, which witnessed a record high turnout in this Lok Sabha elections, Kumar said: “We understand that the people are ready to democratically decide their future.”

At a media conference of civil society groups here, which was held after the poll panel briefing, All India Kisan Sabha vice-president and former CPM MP Hannan Mollah said: “We have written to the collectors. You are not a servant of any politician but you serve the people as a whole. If you break the rules, you will face protests.”

A group of activists has set up two helplines in Delhi and Bengaluru to provide legal assistance to candidates who allege malpractices in counting, which will start at designated centres in all 543 constituencies at 8am on Tuesday.