As counting was underway in the Bihar Assembly polls on Tuesday, 10 November, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), alleged that the Nitish Kumar-led government in the state was intimidating officials and tampering with the results.
However, in a press briefing, the Election Commission denied that its officials were under any pressure and that the time taken for declaration of results is “natural under these circumstances.”
“Anyone can see results on our website,” the Election Commission also said on the RJD’s allegations of results being suppressed, adding that the portal showed that as of that moment, total results declared could be seen to be 146.
“The Election Commission has never worked under anybody's pressure. All officials and machinery are working sincerely for declaration of the results,” Umesh Sinha, Secretary-General, ECI said.
The JD(U)-led NDA on Tuesday returned to power in Bihar with a slim majority of 125 seats, securing a fourth term for Nitish Kumar as the chief minister of the state.
Officials Being Intimidated, Results Manipulated: RJD
Earlier, taking to Twitter, the RJD on its official handle released a list of purported winners from 119 constituencies in the state and claimed that returning officers had congratulated the candidates on their win, but was now refusing to issue certificates, and saying they have lost.
The party also alleged that only 109 of these seats were being shown on television and that Kumar was calling officers and getting the results rigged.
Congress, RJD Reach EC Office in Patna
The Congress also claimed that there are discrepancies in the counting. "There are discrepancies. We expect justice from Election Commission,” Congress leader Akhilesh Singh said, according to ANI.
ANI reported that a joint RJD and Congress delegation reached the Election Commission office to raise the issue.
“There are over dozens of seats where tampering has been done. They are trying to change the people's mandate. But even after all such ill-intended attempts we will form the government,” RJD leader Manoj Jha said after leaving Election Commission Office in Patna.
He added that the Election Commission has assured them that they will try to address all our grievances. “We trust the EC but not district administration,” Jha said.
The Quint spoke with Shyam Rajak, an RJD leader who was also present at the EC office. "There are around two dozen seats where we won but the district administration has tried to change the result. We asked for a recounting but it was not accepted. The administration is trying to change the public’s mandate,” Rajak said.
Govt Delaying Count, Alleges RJD
Earlier, the party had alleged on Twitter that in almost 10 seats, the government was delaying the count by not giving certificates to the winning candidates.
“Sitting in the CM office, Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi have also pressured all District Magistrates and Returning Officers to announce winners in seats where their candidates are leading by a small margin,” the party claimed.
CPIML Demands Recount
Meanwhile, the CPIML said on its Twitter handle that the party has demanded a recount of votes in the constituencies Bhorey, Arrah and Daraundha.
As per latest data, the NDA is leading in/won 80 seats, the JD(U) in 42 seats, the RJD in 77 seats and the Congress in 19 seats.
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