Refrain from baseless charges election after election: Poll body rebukes Congress

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has dismissed allegations levelled by Congress concerning irregularities in the recently-concluded Haryana Assembly polls, deeming the accusations ‘baseless’.
The poll body has also asked Congress and other political parties to avoid raising “unfounded and sensational complaints” at critical times, such as polling and counting days, warning that such actions can create public unrest, lead to unnecessary turbulence, and disrupt social order.
The Election Commission’s response came after Congress expressed apprehensions over the display of a 99 per cent battery status on EVMs during vote counting, suggesting possible tampering of the machines and accusing authorities of intentionally delaying the counting process.
“The Election Commission categorically rejects all baseless allegations and apprehensions conveyed by INC regarding all aspects of the electoral process in the recently concluded election to the state assembly of Haryana,” the poll panel said in a letter addressed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
“This is least expected of a national political party. The commission appreciates the criticality of the considered views of political parties in sustaining and strengthening electoral democracy in the country and assures that it will remain committed towards timely grievance redressal,” it added.
Furthermore, the Election Commission also criticised Congress for repeatedly questioning electoral outcomes through what it called “generic doubts” when results are unfavourable.
In a firm statement, the poll body called upon the grand old party to take “concrete steps” to avoid the trend of what it considers frivolous complaints, pointing out the potential for such allegations to undermine the credibility of the electoral process.
“ECI is compelled to note that with no evidence whatsoever of any statutory electoral step being compromised and candidate’s consent to proceed to each next stage being on record; the INC has once again raised the smoke of a generic doubt about the credibility of an entire electoral outcome exactly in similar manner as it has done in recent past. This is least expected of a national political party,” it said.
Soon after the results for Haryana Assembly polls were declared on October 8, Congress General Secretary and Communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh held a press conference, alleging EVM manipulation and accusing the BJP of subverting the people’s will.
Ramesh said the results in Haryana are totally unexpected, surprising and counter-intuitive. “It goes against ground reality,” he said. The Congress leader also wrote to the Election Commission, alleging slowing down of uploading up-to-date trends on the poll panel’s website.
Defying exit poll predictions, the BJP clinched a sweeping victory in the Haryana Assembly elections, securing 48 out of the 90 seats. Meanwhile, despite a decade-long wave of anti-incumbency against the BJP, the Congress managed to secure only 37 seats in the Assembly.