‘No appeals, no objections’: EC counters Rahul Gandhi’s vote manipulation charge

The Election Commission dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s charge of “wholesale theft” in the 2024 Haryana polls as unfounded, noting no appeals or objections were filed and that booth agents failed to flag irregularities. EC said Gandhi’s claims should be tested in court

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi’s vote manipulation charge is “unfounded” as no appeals were filed against the electoral rolls in Haryana, nor was any multiple voting flagged when it happened, Election Commission officials said on Wednesday.

The poll body officials were reacting to Gandhi’s claim that 25 lakh entries were “fake” and that the Haryana Assembly polls last year were “stolen.” They also questioned why Congress‘ booth agents did not flag voters who had cast multiple votes in the election in October 2024.

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“Why were no claims and objections raised by INC’s Booth-Level Agents during revision to avoid multiple names?” an official said, countering Gandhi’s allegation.

Booth-level agents, or BLAs, are appointed by political parties to flag irregularities, if any, in electoral rolls.

EC officials underlined that “zero appeals” were filed against electoral rolls and only 22 election petitions were currently pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

As many as 23 election petitions were filed, and one was later withdrawn.

They said Gandhi has raised the issue of the Rai and Hodal Assembly seats in Haryana.

“Since election petitions have been filed in both the constituencies among the 23 filed for Haryana assembly elections, Mr Gandhi may be advised to use all his evidence there,” an official suggested.

An election petition can be filed within 45 days of the announcement of the results in the high court of that state.

“What were the polling agents of INC doing in the polling stations? They are supposed to object if the elector has already voted or if the polling agents doubt the identity of the elector,” the official said.

Referring to EC’s efforts to clean up the voter lists across States, officials wondered whether Gandhi supports the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which removes duplicate, dead, and shifted voters along with verification of citizenship.

“Or is he opposing SIR,” an official asked.

“Why were no claims and objections raised by INC’s BLAs during revision to avoid multiple names in Bihar? Why were no claims and objections raised by INC’s BLAs during revision to avoid multiple names in Haryana?” the official asked.

The BJP won 48 seats in the 2024 Haryana Assembly Polls, while the Congress, which was predicted to win by many exit polls, won 37 seats. The INLD won two seats while independent candidates bagged three in the 90-member Assembly.

On the issue of zero house numbers, EC officials said ‘House Number Zero’ is also for houses where the panchayat and municipalities have not given house numbers.

House Number ‘zero’ has been given by booth-level officers, where no house number is allotted by municipalities or panchayats.