INDIA bloc leaders meet EC over voter turnout data, code of conduct violations

SOON after the Election Commission of India (EC) on Friday issued its response to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, a multi-party delegation of the INDIA bloc submitted a memorandum to the poll body and urged it to ensure the sanctity and transparency of the electoral process and a level-playing field for the remainder of the 2024 general elections.

- PREETHA NAIR

The delegation included Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, TMC leader Derek O'Brien, JMM leader Mahua Maji and DMK leader TR Baalu, among others.

The letter pointed out that the commission has not provided any proper or official clarification on the inordinate delay or the reported variance in the voter data. The commission has not mentioned crucial yet related figures, such as the votes polled in each parliamentary seat and in the respective assembly constituencies, it said.

"If the voter turnout data was published within 24 hours of voting along with the crucial figures, then we would have known if the increase (of approximately 5%) had been witnessed across constituencies, or only in constituencies where the ruling regime had not performed well in the 2019 elections," it said.