Haryana polls: Cong submits more complaints to EC on 'discrepancies' in EVMs while counting
New Delhi, Oct 11: The Congress on Friday submitted more complaints to the Election Commission alleging discrepancies in the electronic voting machines during counting of votes for the Haryana Assembly elections.
The Congress candidates from 20 assembly constituencies, in their written complaints to the Election Commission (EC), have alleged that the batteries in some of the EVMs were charged at 99 per cent during counting on October 8.
The complaints follow the Congress' shock defeat in the Haryana Assembly elections after the party failed to win a simple majority even after 10 years of the BJP rule in the state.
The Congress has said that the assembly polls results were "unexpected" and have alleged discrepancies in the EVMs in some seats.
"In furtherance of the issues raised and the representation submitted to the Election Commission of India on 9th October, we have now submitted an updated memo highlighting serious and glaring irregularities in the election process in 20 assembly constituencies in Haryana," AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh, said in a post on X.
"We hope that the Election Commission will take notice and issue the appropriate directives," he said while sharing the memorandum to the EC.
"We request you to urgently take action on the enclosed complaints and ensure that all the EVMs from these constituencies are immediately sealed. It is further requested that a detailed inquiry is initiated on our complaints and the same is completed in a time bound manner," the party memorandum to EC said.
Senior Congress leaders had met the Election Commission officials earlier on Wednesday and handed over seven complaints in writing. They had said that they would submit more such complaints in detail from some of its other candidates.
In the memorandum to the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners, the Congress has said, "One of the issues faced by a significant number of our candidates was in relation to EVMs and their Battery Capacity."
It said these EVMs were used for counting of votes polled during the Haryana Assembly elections conducted on October 5.
The party said that it had brought the poll body's attention to at least seven assembly constituencies. In this representation, the memorandum said, "We have collated the additional 13 complaints/issues raised in the Assembly Constituencies of Haryana and enclosed all the 20 complaints."
The complaints have come from the Congress candidates from assembly constituencies of Narnaul, Karnal, Dabwali, Rewari, Hodal (SC), Kalka, Panipat City, Indri, Badkhal, Faridabad NIT, Nalwa, Rania, Pataudi (SC), Palwal, Ballabhgarh, Barwala, Uchana Kalan, Gharaunda, Kosli and Badshahpur.
These include those seats from where the party candidates have lost with a narrow margin and among the complainants include Pradesh Congress president Udai Bhan.
9 अक्टूबर को कांग्रेस पार्टी के वरिष्ठ नेताओं ने चुनाव आयोग को शिकायतों से भरा ज्ञापन सौंपा था। आज उसे आगे बढ़ाते हुए, हमने एक अपडेट ज्ञापन दिया है, जिसमें हरियाणा के 20 विधानसभा क्षेत्रों में चुनाव प्रक्रिया में गंभीर और स्पष्ट अनियमितताओं को हाईलाइट किया गया है। हमें उम्मीद है… https://t.co/ouILdsc3Ws
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) October 11, 2024
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
