Bengaluru, 6 Aug

A report titled “Conduct of Lok Sabha Elections 2024” released by the Maharashtra-based civil society organisation ‘Vote for Democracy’ on 22 July highlighted a discrepancy of 4.65 crore votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It is feared that this discrepancy could have benefitted BJP-led NDA in 79 seats across 15 states such as Odisha, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

A similar study by the Association for Democratic Reforms also noted discrepancies in 5.5 lakh votes between votes cast and counted in 362 parliamentary constituencies, suggesting issues with electronic voting machines and vote counting. Congress leader and AICC Secretary Mansoor Ali Khan in an interview with Salar News raises concerns over electoral integrity and calls for a thorough investigation and reforms to ensure transparency and accuracy in the voting process.

What is your reaction to the report?

This report raises pertinent concerns. Even during the run-up to the elections, there were apprehensions about the fairness of the electoral system. This report has proved that those fears were legitimate. In a large democracy such as India, any doubts about the fairness of the electoral system and Election Commission (EC) is a grave matter.

Will the report impact the legitimacy of the elections that have just been conducted?

The legitimacy of the election results is indeed under question today. During the elections, Muslims were allegedly not allowed to vote in Uttar Pradesh. Voter turnout is released on the day of the election or the next day but this time it was published nearly a week later. Suddenly, 4.22 crore extra votes were added.

The report found discrepancies in the votes in Bengaluru Central seat. What do you have to say about it?

As far as Bengaluru Central is concerned, Congress is doing its fact-finding on what went wrong. Citizens have complained about a sudden rise in the number of voters. Credible NGOs in Mahadevpura region have complained to EC over it. Media reports also pointed out an unusual spike in voter enrolments in Mahadevpura. EC must provide clarification. Over time, we will know more about what exactly happened, but I don’t rule out electoral malpractices in the region.

Do you think this would have affected voter confidence and turnout in Bengaluru Central?

It would have affected voter turnout and the voting pattern. It was a closely fought election, and this may have had an impact on the final result as well.

Will there be an independent inquiry regarding the electoral process?

I hope it happens because this is not just about this Lok Sabha election. This has to do with the democratic process, our country, and the confidence of the voters. What good is any electoral process where there are question marks and no transparency? Even if 1% of people or even one person doubts the electoral process, the whole system fails.

Do you think this report should be discussed in the Parliament?

It is a serious issue and Parliament is a forum where this has to be debated. When we talk about the EVMs and the differences in the number of votes recorded and counted, it is a concerning issue. It is the difference between forming a government legitimately and illegitimately. I hope this report is taken up in Parliament and debated. If there is nothing wrong, then better to have an inquiry and clear the doubt once and for all.

What specific reforms would you propose to improve the electoral process?

The electoral process should be transparent and it must begin with the selection of the members of EC. We need a system where multiple stakeholders, including the Chief Justice of India, are involved to ensure transparency and independence in the working of EC. EC should be independent, and there should be no doubt regarding its authority.     —Salar News