• Source:JND
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On Tuesday, the Election Commission (EC) dismissed Congress's allegations of "faulty EVMs" in the recently concluded Haryana assembly polls, stating that the party was raising "generic" doubts simply because the election results were not in its favour.

The Congress Party has written to the top poll panel, asserting that their polling agents discovered several discrepancies in several seats. The grand old party named seven seats-- Karnal, Rewari, Panipat City, Hodal, Kalka and Narnaul-- where they believed ‘irregularities’ had taken place.

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The EC, however, termed these allegations as ‘baseless’, ‘misplaced’ and ‘devoid of facts’.

In its 1,642-page response to Congress, the poll panel said it had thoroughly investigated all the aspects and it was least expected of a national party to raise such objections.

“After a thorough re-verification by Returning officers of all the 26 Assembly Constituencies under question, we have found that each step in the electoral process in Haryana was flawless and done under the watch of Congress candidates or agents,” the ECI wrote in a letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

“The replies reflect continuous participation of INC candidates, representatives and their agents in various processes of election, including EVM processes…Total 19 representations do not even mention at what point in time the battery was showing 99 per cent capacity, and how does it have a bearing on results and whether any complaint was made at any stage before declaration of result,” it said.

The poll panel also cautioned Congress against making ‘irresponsible’ allegations against EVMs.

“ECI has strongly cautioned against making false generalisations and irresponsible allegations against EVMs which have time and again withstood the scrutiny in judicial forums and formed the well-acclaimed backbone of India’s large voting system through which diverse political parties have come to power in various elections,” it added.

The Congress party garnered 37 of 90 seats in Haryana, a number much less than what pollsters and psephologists predicted, amid a decade-long anti-incumbency and agrarian distress in the state. The Congress Party alleged there were irregularities and they had credible reports from several constituencies.

Congress’ General Secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged in cases where EVM showed a battery life of 99 per cent, the party faced defeat, while those with a battery level between 60-70 per cent resulted in victories for Congress.

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Following the election results, senior Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal, Ashok Gehlot, Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Maken, and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, met with officials from the Election Commission. During the meeting, they submitted a total of 20 complaints, which also included seven written grievances related to specific constituencies.