Election data scientist alleges vote manipulation in Maharashtra Assembly elections
Mumbai: Pyarelal Garg, a prominent election data scientist, has raised serious concerns over the integrity of the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections. In an exclusive interview with The Federal's YouTube program Capital Beat, Garg alleged that discrepancies in the vote counts were observed in at least 92 constituencies, with an average manipulation of 26,500 votes per seat. He claimed these discrepancies disproportionately favoured the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Dr. Garg, a seasoned election analyst, presented detailed statistical evidence suggesting that the Election Commission of India (ECI) failed to maintain transparency during the voting and counting processes. Key points of his allegations include:
Garg highlighted discrepancies in the voter turnout data, which showed significant changes between 5:00 PM and 11:30 PM on polling day. He suggested this shift indicated potential tampering with the data.
Garg also pointed out that the data released by the ECI was not raw data (primary figures), but processed and aggregated, making it difficult to verify and analyse accurately.
He further alleged that voting percentages in Maharashtra rose by 7.83% after 5:00 PM, a stark contrast to the 0.86% increase observed in Jharkhand during the same election cycle. This, Garg argued, contributed to an additional 76 lakh votes, skewing the results in favour of the NDA.
Dr. Garg presented evidence suggesting that manipulation was systematic across the state. He noted that, in some constituencies, the margin of victory for NDA candidates was smaller than the number of manipulated votes. For example, in a constituency in Aurangabad, the margin of victory was around 18,000 votes, while Garg claimed that nearly 23,000 votes were added during the counting process.
“These discrepancies are not random but systematic,” Dr. Garg said. “It appears that the data has been tailored to benefit the ruling party.”
Dr. Garg also expressed doubts about the integrity of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), though he conceded that the machines themselves were secure. His concerns centred on the processes surrounding them, citing instances where the final vote tally did not match the figures from the EVMs during the counting process.
Dr. Garg criticised the judiciary for failing to address the Election Commission's non-compliance with Supreme Court directives, including the requirement for video documentation of polling booths after voting hours. He urged citizens to take action, demanding accountability from the ECI and ensuring the integrity of future elections.
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Vijay unable to prove majority, not invited for CM oath ceremony: Sources
Chennai: Actor-politician Vijay has reportedly not been invited to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after failing to demonstrate support from the required number of MLAs, sources in Raj Bhavan said.
According to media reports that quoted sources in the office of R.N. Ravi Arlekar, Vijay could not prove the backing of 118 legislators, the majority mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Despite last-minute efforts to secure support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazagam (AMMK), and an IUML legislator, Vijay reportedly managed support from only 116 MLAs, falling short by two members.
Sources said Vijay failed to submit letters of support from the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Later, the IUML issued a statement clarifying that it was not part of the TVK-led alliance.
Meanwhile, AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran is also said to have informed the Governor that his party would support the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) instead.
Earlier in the evening, Vijay had met Governor Arlekar and staked claim to form the government, stating that he enjoyed the support of 118 MLAs.
