False narrative, says ECI on Kharge's voting data allegations

Mf ECl issues an unprecedentedly strong response

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

In a point-wise rebuttal to the allegations levelled by Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge regarding the discrepancies in the voting data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on 6 May, the poll body has stated that his letter was in "continuance of a design/pattern towards a false narrative" while stating that ECI had come across "a trend of irresponsible statements attacking or attempting to degrade the credibility of the elections'.

In an unprecedentedly strong response, the ECI in its reply to Kharge on Friday, issued a point-wise rebuttal to every claims that were made by Kharge in his letter while charging him of vitiating the constitutionally mandated work of the ECI and create disharmony in election management through innuendos and insinuations which can plant doubts in the mind of voters and political parties and create an anarchic situation.

It has asked Kharge to exercise caution and refrain from making such allegations and statements.