No arbitrary addition, deletion in voters list in Maharashtra: EC tells Congress

Amid concerns flagged by the Congress, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday said there were no arbitrary additions or deletions of voters in Maharashtra where assembly election 2024 were held recently, reported the PTI. In its response to the Congress, the poll authority said it would not be correct to compare 5 PM voter turnout data with final polling data. It also explained how increase in voter turnout from 5 PM to 11:45 PM was normal, being part of the process of aggregation of voter turnout and how there can be bona fide but inconsequential differences in votes polled and votes counted. According to the ANI, the ECI in a reply to Congress stating that the fact is that only 6 ACs had total additions of over 50,000 electors during the period. Hence the question of winning in 47 ACs on this basis does not arise. While detailing the well laid out mechanism with sufficient checks and balances and disclosures, ECI emphasized that the watertight statutory scheme ensures that deletion and addition of voters is done strictly according to rules with the fullest involvement of political parties at every stage. No arbitrary additions or deletions in Maharashtra. ECI replies to INC with hard facts that its complaint of an average addition of 50000 electors between July to Nov 2024 in 50 AC out of which 47 have been won by Mahayuti, is factually incorrect and misleading. The fact is that… — ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2024 The EC asserted that it is impossible to change actual voter turnout as statutory Form 17C giving details of voter turnout is available with authorised agents of candidates at the time of close of poll at the polling station itself. It said rule-based process was followed with transparency in Maharashtra electoral roll preparation and there were no irregular pattern in voter deletions in the state. It told the Congress that due process was followed, including participation of Congress representatives in preparation of electoral rolls. No arbitrary additions or deletions in Maharashtra.  The Mahayuti alliance, led by the BJP had secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra elections 2024 with the BJP emerging as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Assembly, while its allies--the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar--won 57 and 41 seats, respectively. However, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a major setback as Congress won only 16 seats, while its alliance partners, Shiv Sena (UBT) won 20 seats and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) secured just 10 seats. (with PTI and ANI inputs)

24 December,2024 04:00 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent

EVMs cannot be hacked, says Maharashtra's Additional Chief Electoral Officer

Amid the Opposition's allegations regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) after the Maharashtra elections 2024 in which the ruling Mahayuti alliance registered a landslide victory, state's Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kiran Kulkarni has asserted that EVMs cannot be hacked, reported news agency ANI. He said that the chips used in the EVMs are one-time programmable, making tampering impossible. "I say this with full responsibility, EVM cannot be hacked. EVM cannot be tampered with. There is a simple reason for this. First, it is a standalone machine ...no connection to any network or outer gadget. So, hacking or tampering is not possible. Second, the chip used in it is one-time programmable, so there cannot be any reprogramming," Kulkarni told ANI on Tuesday. He further said that there was no need for misunderstandings regarding EVMs since the Election Commission of India (ECI) dictates a procedure that allows for matching of the Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) count and votes a candidate has received through EVMs, reported ANI. This process is observed to ensure there was no discrepancy in these figures, Kulkarni said, while adding that this procedure of comparing the number of votes through VVPAT slips and EVM votes is undertaken before the declaration of the final results. "There seems to be a lot of misunderstandings among political parties and common citizens regarding EVM. But there is no need for such misunderstandings...When votes are counted and the counting of votes of all EVMs concludes, after that, before the declaration of the result there is a procedure which is prescribed by the Election Commission of India. The procedure says that a lottery is drawn by collecting numbers of all the polling stations in the Assembly constituencies. This lottery is drawn in the presence of the Observer and representatives of all candidates of political parties. Of these, 5 polling stations are selected and VVPAT machines for the 5 polling stations are brought to the counting area. In the presence of everyone, the VVPAT slips are taken out and counted. Which candidate got how many votes as per the slips is counted. This number is matched with the votes voted through EVMs. This is observed that there is no discrepancy in these two figures...The voting in Maharashtra Assembly elections was done properly by following proper procedure..." Kulkarni said, reported ANI. Earlier, the Chief Election Officer (CEO) S Chockalingam on Tuesday rejected Opposition allegations regarding the legitimacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the Maharashtra elections 2024 and said "no mismatch" was found between the Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT) slips with their corresponding EVM numbers. In a statement, the Maharashtra CEO explained that, as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, it is mandatory to count VVPAT slips from five randomly selected polling stations in each assembly constituency. "VVPAT Slip count of randomly selected five polling stations per Assembly Constituency was conducted on November 23, during the counting procedure, in front of the Counting Observer / Representatives of Candidates. As per that, the slip count of 1440 VVPAT units from 288 Assembly Constituencies of Maharashtra State has been tallied with respective Control Unit data," Chockalingam said, reported ANI. "There is no discrepancy found between the VVPAT slip count and EVM Control unit count as per the reports received from the concerned DEOs," Chockalingam added, reported ANI. This comes after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance partners raised questions about the legitimacy of EVMs following their defeat in the Maharashtra assembly election 2024. The Mahayuti alliance, led by the BJP, secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra elections 2024 with the BJP emerging as the largest party with 132 seats in the 280-member Assembly, while its allies--the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar--won 57 and 41 seats, respectively. However, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a major setback as Congress won only 16 seats, while its alliance partners, Shiv Sena (UBT) won 20 seats and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) secured just 10 seats. (With inputs from ANI)

11 December,2024 11:12 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent

Maharashtra: Congress delegation meets villagers seeking 'repoll' through ballot

A Congress delegation recently met with residents of Markadwadi village in Maharashtra's Solapur district, who had raised concerns about the legitimacy of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, which took place on November 20. The villagers had even announced plans to conduct a "repoll" using ballots, news agency PTI reported. The residents of Markadwadi, which falls under the Malshiras Assembly seat, questioned the results of the EVM count, particularly the votes of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Ram Satpute. They claimed that at least 80 per cent of the votes should have gone to Uttam Jankar of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), the eventual winner. They found it suspicious that Satpute had received 843 votes in their village, while Jankar secured 1,003. They argued that Satpute should not have received more than 100-150 votes in the village. In the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, the results of which were announced on November 23, Jankar defeated Satpute by 13,147 votes. The Congress delegation met with the residents of Markadwadi on Thursday to discuss their concerns and the "repoll" announcement, PTI stated. A report on the matter will be sent to the state unit chief, Nana Patole, according to Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe. On Tuesday, a group of villagers had made arrangements to hold the "repoll" using ballots, but they withdrew their plans after officials, including Jankar, explained the legal implications and warned of possible legal action. The district administration had imposed prohibitory orders to prevent the "repoll" amid concerns over law and order issues. The Solapur Police registered two cases against 300 individuals, including Jankar, for allegedly violating prohibitory orders and attempting to conduct the "repoll", PTI reported. Londhe said on Friday that during discussions with the villagers, it became clear that they were genuinely concerned about the EVMs. He added that the residents viewed the "repoll" as a democratic right, but the administration suppressed their movement by threatening legal action if even a single vote was cast. "The movement in Markadwadi against EVMs is genuine and not politically motivated. We will prepare a report and send it to Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge via our MPCC chief Nana Patole," Londhe said. "The people of Markadwadi have also given us soil from the village to take to Rahul Gandhi, so he can place it at the memorial of Gandhiji." Londhe further mentioned that the villagers wanted him to visit Markadwadi to support their movement against EVMs. (With PTI inputs)

06 December,2024 10:28 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent

Markadwadi: Over 200 booked for bid to conduct ‘re-election’ using ballot paper

The police have booked more than 200 people from Markadwadi village and nearby areas in Solapur for allegedly trying to conduct a “re-election” using ballot papers on Tuesday, officials said. They were also charged for allegedly spreading misinformation about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the police said. Authorities said the move by a group of residents of Markadwadi was illegal as there was no provision for conducting a re-poll using ballot papers under any circumstances. Meanwhile, state Congress chief Nana Patole hailed the residents of Markadwadi for their courage, and said they took the first step in the fight for protecting democracy. The group of villagers had insisted on a re-election with ballot papers while casting doubts on the votes counted through EVMs for a polling booth at Markadwadi in the recently-held state polls. However, they relented and gave up their plan after police’s intervention. The village comes under the Malshiras Assembly constituency, where NCP (SP) candidate Uttam Jankar defeated BJP’s Ram Satpute by 13,147 votes in the November 20 election, the results of which were declared on November 23. Though Jankar won the seat, Markadwadi residents claimed the quantum of votes polled by the NCP (SP) leader was less compared with Satpute, expressing doubt about the EVMs. A section of villagers had approached the district administration seeking apermission to conduct the re-poll on the ballot paper but the permission was rejected. Solapur district collector Kumar Ashirvad said an offence was lodged on behalf of the government under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, 2023.  As per the FIR, the accused allegedly spread rumours about the alleged misuse of EVMs through digital flex boards and social media, falsely claiming the need for a re-poll. They are also accused of violating the orders of the Solapur district collector and Malshiras sub-divisional magistrate in Akluj by announcing an “unauthorised re-poll in Markadwadi”. This act allegedly created fear among the public and instigated feelings of animosity. Jankar said a meeting was held with police officials, followed by talks with the villagers. After that, they cancelled the re-poll plan. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

05 December,2024 07:30 AM IST | Mumbai | Agencies

Jayant Patil raises concerns over EVMs, demands return of ballot papers

Maharashtra NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Jayant Patil on Sunday raised concerns about the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections, questioning the rise in voting numbers after 5 pm. He then called for bringing back ballot papers to restore public trust in the electoral process, reported news agency ANI. "Even though our numbers are less, we will continue to raise questions. In the recent elections, voting increased in Maharashtra after 5 pm. This is a matter of concern. While the EVM is a simple calculator, it increases the vote count automatically at night. This is a critical issue that must be addressed. The Election Commission of India appears to be hiding something," Patil said, reported ANI. Demanding the return of ballot papers, he stated, "Ballot papers must replace EVMs because it will also restore people's trust in the system. The voting percentage will decline if people do not trust the system," reported ANI. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut demanded that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari propose President's Rule in Maharashtra, citing the ongoing stalemate over the Chief Minister's post. He also reiterated his allegations against EVMs. "The governor should propose the President's Rule because of the mess here. People are observing everything. They know how the elections were conducted and how EVMs were tampered with. We are working to create a national movement on this issue," Sanjay Raut told reporters. Notably, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a significant setback in the recently held Maharashtra elections, winning just 16 out of 288 assembly seats. Its ally, Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, won 20 seats, while the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) secured only 10 seats. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance emerged victorious with 132 seats, while its allies, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, secured 57 and 41 seats, respectively. Maharashtra chief poll officer warns of legal action over EVM tampering allegations Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer, S Chockalingam, has warned of strict legal action against individuals spreading false claims or insinuations regarding tampering with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). His statement comes amid allegations from Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders about EVM malpractices during the recent Maharashtra assembly elections. Chockalingam, on Sunday, underlined that any attempts to sensationalise these matters will be dealt with severely as authorities intensify investigations into the issue. The Election Commission has filed an FIR against Syed Shuja, who is reportedly residing abroad and has sent letters to the relevant authorities to ensure the matter is pursued. (With inputs from ANI)

02 December,2024 08:54 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent