NEW DELHI: Even as EC drafts a response to questions raised by Rahul Gandhi on Maharashtra voter list, what seems to have caught its attention are the fluctuating numbers claimed by him thrice: 1 crore on Jan 15, 70 lakh on the floor of Lok Sabha on Feb 3 and 39 lakh at Friday’s presser.
EC sources said none of the three was correct, even though the poll panel had, in a letter to Congress on Dec 24, 2024, shared the exact figure of 48.8 lakh additions made to the state rolls between LS and assembly polls, reports Bharti Jain.In a formal response on X to INDIA bloc allegations, ECI, headed by Rajiv Kumar, said Friday it “would respond in writing with full factual and procedural matrix uniformly adopted across” India.
EC also noted that political parties were “priority stakeholders” and their views, suggestions and questions were “deeply valued”.
In its Dec 2024 letter refuting Congress’s allegations on Maharashtra rolls, the commission had explained that 26.4 lakh of the 48.8 lakh additions made between LS and assembly polls last year were new voters in the age group of 18-29 years. With over 8 lakh deletions, the net addition to the state’s rolls was around 40.8 lakh, EC had said.
On Rahul’s demand that EC share the exact list of voters who exercised their franchise in Maharashtra, commission sources said Section 93 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1951, did not allow for providing names and addresses of voters as it would violate secrecy of vote and put voters at risk of post-election intimidation.
Stating that the poll panel has already shared with Congress names, addresses and polling booths of all voters in Maharashtra Lok Sabha and assembly polls and the exact number of voters, booth-wise, in Form 20 as well as in Form 17C (available with each candidate), it underlined that this could not be the case with Form 17A as it has the signature/thumb impression of the elector and also details and number of the identification document produced by her for voting. Form 17A is kept in safe custody of the returning officer and not opened for inspection except under court order.
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