EC gives Cong time to discuss Maha polls

The Election Commission on Saturday asserted that all poll procedures it followed in Maharashtra were transparent and assured that it would review all legitimate concerns flagged by the Congress.

In its interim response to the party, the Election Commission authority invited a Congress delegation on December 3 to discuss its concerns.

The Congress on Friday raised with the Election Commission "serious and grave inconsistencies" which it said were being revealed in the data relating to the polling and counting processes for the recently-concluded Maharashtra Assembly polls and sought an in-person hearing to present relevant evidence.

Responding to the issue regarding the voter turnout data, the EC asserted that there was no discrepancy and the data was available with all candidates polling stationwise and verifiable.

It explained the gap in the 5 pm polling data and the final voter turnout as being due to procedural priorities, as presiding officers perform multiple statutory duties near the close of polling before updating the voter turnout data.