'Highly undesirable': Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's letter on voter turnout draws ECI ire

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday (May 10) issued a strong-worded letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, condemning his recent statement questioning the integrity of the electoral process. In a letter addressed to Kharge, the ECI expressed deep concern over his assertions, warning that they could undermine voter confidence and impede the smooth conduct of elections.

The letter stressed the ECI's commitment to upholding the right to free speech while highlighting its duty to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process. It admonished Kharge for his remarks, characterising them as potentially harmful to the Commission's mandate of conducting elections impartially and transparently.

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Kharge's letter to leaders of various opposition parties, wherein he raised concerns about alleged discrepancies in voting data released by the ECI, drew particular scrutiny from the Commission. Terming Kharge's assertions as an "aggression on vitals of live election operations," the ECI rejected the claims outright, asserting that they lacked factual basis and risked sowing confusion among voters and political parties.

The Commission refuted Kharge's allegations point-by-point, asserting that there had been no lapses or deviations in the collection and dissemination of voter turnout data. It cautioned against the dissemination of baseless allegations, which it deemed as potentially disruptive to the electoral process.

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The ECI admonished Kharge for placing his communication in the public domain during the ongoing election process, describing it as "highly undesirable" and urging him to exercise caution in making such statements. The Commission stressed the importance of maintaining harmony and integrity in election management, urging all stakeholders to refrain from actions that could undermine the electoral process.