'If incorrect, ECI Must Clarify Its Stance, If True...': Pawan Khera On 'Election Conduct Concern Report' (Photo @Pawankhera)
Congress leader Pawan Khera today flagged serious concerns about the people’s trust in the democratic process, citing a report by Vote for Democracy (VFD) on the conduct of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. The report pointed out the failure of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct regular press conferences and address code of conduct violations. It also noted the alleged biased conduct of the poll body and the absence of a political level-playing field during the election.
The Congress spokesperson in a post on X, listed out some of the findings of the report, calling it “shocking revelations that can shake the trust of people in the country’s democracy.”
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The Congress spokesperson challenged the Election Commission to clarify its stance on the VFD report if it is incorrect, and to restore the “faltering faith of the people in the democratic process.”
“But if what is said in the report is true, then the political history of Indian democracy is seeing its turning point,” the Congress leader wrote.
Citing the report, Pawan Khera alleged that the a discrepancy of nearly 5 crore votes between the initial votes counted and the final votes counted.
“The report claimed that a minimum of 79 seats in 15 states could have been won by the NDA/BJP through the hike in the votes, implying that if true, the INDIA alliance would have the maximum seats in the parliament,” the spokesperson wrote, noting that the poll body delayed the publication of final voter turnout throughout the 7 phases, which again raised doubts over the credibility of the Election Commission.
A report by *Vote for Democracy* titled “Conduct of Lok Sabha Elections 2024” has made some shocking revelations that can shake the trust of people in our democracy. The report claims the following:
▪️A discrepancy of nearly 5 crores votes between the initial votes counted and…
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) July 27, 2024
The VFD report, authored by former bureaucrat M.G. Devasahayam and activist Dr. Pyare Lal Garg said that it was seriously concerned about the fair outcome of the electoral process. The report highlighted that Section 80 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, allows a candidate or a voter to challenge the outcome of an election within 45 days of the declaration of the results.
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The VFD also called for an independent investigation under autonomous supervision into all the doubts and allegations raised during the elections.
