INDIA Delegation Meets Election Commission; Flags Delayed Release, Variation In Poll Percentage Details

New Delhi, May 10: A delegation of senior leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on Friday met the Election Commission of India (ECI) and flagged the concern over delayed release of poll percentage details by it.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, senior Congress leader Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, first there was an eleven day delay in publishing the poll percentage of the first phase.

He said, more concerning than the delay was the variation in the polling percentage figures which varied between 5 to 5.7 percent from the day of actual polling and the day on which it was published.

He said, compared to this, during the 2019 General Elections the figures had changed by about 2, 2.5, 1 or 1.25 percent. He said, in comparative terms, such an increase of 5 to 5.7 percent was not seen in 2019.

Dr Singhvi observed that if the percentage figures are published immediately it will not leave any scope of questioning.

Dr Singhvi said, the delegation also brought to the notice of the commission that it had not taken any notice or action in case of complaints against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union Home Minister Amit Shah.

In a development, Congress general secretary in charge of communications said the response of the ECI to the issues raised by the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in his letter to the INDIA parties “is simply beyond description”.

“The EC is a Constitutional body entrusted with the responsibility of being an impartial body that ensures, and is seen to ensure, a level-playing field to all political parties.  Both the content and intent of the letter will be a permanent blot on the reputation of an institution that can boast of luminaries like Sukumar Sen, TN Seshan, JM Lyngdoh and others,” Ramesh said.

“The Congress President had raised perfectly legitimate issues, on which there have been widespread concern and comment. The approach of the Election Commission to addressing these issues is deeply regrettable,” he added.

Earlier in the day, the poll body had released a statement in response the concerns raised by the Congress president to INDIA alliance constituents last week.