Seeks ECI clarification over variation in initial, final voter turnout figures.

New Delhi : Alleging that the BJP won 79 seats in the 2024 General Elections by voter turnout manipulation, the Congress has sought clarification from the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the substantial difference in the preliminary/initial and the final voter turnout figures in the 2024 General Elections.

Quoting a report by the ‘Vote for Democracy’ (VFD), senior party leader and ex-MP Sandeep Dikshit said while the overall difference in the voter turnout between what the ECI said initially and what figures it gave finally, was on an average 4.7 percent, it counted to about 5 crore votes nationally.

Quoting the VFD report he disclosed that in some states like Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, where the BJP or its allies did unexpectedly better, the difference between the initial and final turnout figures was 12.5, which is huge and needs answers from the ECI.

The senior Congress leader observed that while a difference of around 1 percent is understandable, but the massive difference up to 12.5 percent and in some places like Lakshadweep up to 25 percent raises serious questions. 

Quoting the same report, Dikshit said, it had specifically identified 79 constituencies that the BJP won, where the final voting percentage increased substantially from the initial figures given by the ECI.

He also wondered why it took the ECI so much time to come out with the final voting percentage, while in the modern days of technological process, the figures are updated every two hours. He pointed out, while for the first phase it took ECI eleven days to come out with the final figures, for the second phase it took 6 days and for the subsequent phases 4 to 5 days.

Dikshit said, this had raised questions not only on the credibility of the ECI, but has also created doubts about the entire electoral process. He did not agree with the ECI explanation like communication and Internet issues for delay in coming out with the final poll percentage figures.

He observed that with the availability of sophisticated technology there should not be so much variation between the initial and final figures.

He pointed out, in 2019, there was only about one percent difference in the initial and final voting figures and after five years, the average difference has gone up to 4.7 percent.

Dikshit said, if the ECI does not come out with satisfactory answers and explanation, the Congress may approach a higher forum for probe into the matter.