What Serious Concerns Did YSRCP Raise Over Electoral Reforms and EC Functioning?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- YSRCP's concerns highlight the need for electoral integrity.
- Discrepancies in vote counts raise questions about the election process.
- Call for transparency in the functioning of the Election Commission.
- Public trust in elections is at stake.
- Potential reforms could reshape future electoral processes.
Amaravati, Dec 11 (NationPress) YSR Congress Party MP YV Subba Reddy expressed grave concerns in the Rajya Sabha regarding electoral reforms and the operations of the Election Commission.
He emphasized that the future of India's democracy hinges on transparent, fair, and accountable elections.
As per a statement from the party, he mentioned that voters in Andhra Pradesh are increasingly anxious that their votes are not being accurately tallied, and that the recent Assembly and Parliamentary elections revealed numerous irregularities.
During the discussion on State Intensive Revision (SIR), Subba Reddy remarked that this process has sparked national concerns due to extensive voter list resets, unrealistic timelines, and inadequate communication.
He pointed out the challenges faced by Booth Level Officers, the confusion among citizens, and the rising fears of legitimate voters being silently removed.
Subba Reddy noted that even the Supreme Court has been compelled to review petitions regarding the fairness of SIR across various states.
He brought attention to discrepancies in vote counts in Andhra Pradesh, highlighting a gap of nearly 89,500 votes between the turnout press notes and the final Form 20 results.
He observed that some constituencies reported more Assembly votes than Parliamentary votes despite utilizing the same voter register.
He provided instances of missing votes, implausible polling figures, and peculiar patterns in areas like Hindupur, where the voting trends seemed illogical.
He asserted that candidates in Andhra Pradesh were denied access to CCTV footage, visuals from strong rooms, and counting footage, while similar data was available to other parties in different regions.
Additionally, he questioned the unusual 12.54% increase in polling after the official voting closure, stating that over 51 lakh votes were added without adequate explanation.
The YSR Congress Party is advocating for the mandatory public release of all polling-related documents, strict adherence to EVM verification protocols, complete webcasting with links on official websites, and a nationwide dialogue on reverting to paper ballots to restore public trust.
Subba Reddy conveyed that the party's focus is not merely on election outcomes but rather on safeguarding the integrity of the democratic process. He urged the Election Commission to resolve all uncertainties and rebuild voter confidence.