Did Cong Really File Zero Objections to Haryana Voter Rolls? ECI Reveals on Rahul Gandhi’s 'H-Bomb' Claim
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Congress did not file any objections regarding electoral rolls.
- Rahul Gandhi's allegations of voter fraud have been met with skepticism.
- ECI asserts that only 22 election petitions are pending in Haryana.
- Concerns raised about the Congress party's vigilance during the electoral process.
- Statewide Intensive Revision (SIR) aims to improve electoral roll accuracy.
New Delhi, Nov 5 (NationPress) Following the claims made by the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who referred to his allegations of extensive voter fraud in the upcoming 2024 Haryana Assembly elections as his “H-Bomb”, sources from the Election Commission of India (ECI) have stated that the Congress party has not raised any appeals or objections concerning the electoral rolls during the revision process.
On Wednesday, Gandhi accused the ECI of “stealing votes” under the influence of the ruling BJP, asserting that there are approximately 25 lakh bogus votes among roughly two crore voters in the state, which translates to 12.5% or one in every eight voters having fraudulent entries.
He further claimed that despite exit polls suggesting a victory for the Congress party, the BJP maintained its power through rigging, duplicate voters, and bulk voting.
In response to his accusations, ECI sources dismissed them as unfounded and questioned the Congress party's vigilance during the electoral process.
“What were the Congress polling agents doing inside polling stations?” a senior official inquired.
“Polling agents are required to object if a voter has already voted or if there is any doubt regarding their identity,” the official added.
According to sources, during the revision of the electoral rolls, Congress Booth Level Agents (BLAs) did not submit any claims or objections related to alleged duplicate, relocated, or deceased voters.
“Why were there no claims and objections raised by INC’s BLAs to prevent multiple entries?” ECI sources remarked, adding that the party did not file any appeals during the revision phase.
The ECI highlighted that there are currently only 22 election petitions pending across various High Courts for 90 Assembly seats in Haryana, which they deemed a normal volume of litigation for a state election of this magnitude.
Questioning the foundation of Rahul Gandhi’s assertions regarding the advantage of duplicate or fraudulent voters for the BJP, the sources asked: “How does Rahul Gandhi know who these alleged fake voters voted for?”
Additionally, sources criticized Rahul Gandhi’s position on the Statewide Intensive Revision (SIR), a process designed to cleanse electoral rolls by eliminating duplicate, dead, and migrated voters.
“Is he in favor of SIR to eliminate such entries or is he against it?” ECI sources queried.
In releasing what he termed the “H-Files”, Gandhi presented videos indicating irregularities in voter lists, showcasing multiple voter IDs that bore the same photograph yet had different names. He also circulated a clip featuring Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who allegedly stated that “arrangements” had been made prior to the results—a statement Gandhi interpreted as a suggestion of electoral manipulation.
“The Election Commission can eliminate duplicates in a moment. Why don’t they do it? Because they are aiding the BJP,” Gandhi claimed.