The rejection by India’s oldest party (and the second largest party in the country) of the Haryana election results after its baffling failure to oust the 10-year-old BJP administration in the state – despite both political pundits and pollsters predicting a sweep – is unprecedented.
This is the first time that such a mainstream political party in this country has raised such serious documented allegations of malfunctioning Electoral Voting Machines (EVMs) stealing an electoral victory. This appears different from the usual charges by poor losers of electoral malpractices, including that of pre-programmed EVM software.
The specific charge of electoral rigging through EVM hardware has never before been heard in this country. The Congress has alleged that there were wide discrepancies found in the battery charge of EVMs in several constituencies varying between 99 percent and below 80 percent.
A group of senior Congress leaders met senior Election Commission officials on Wednesday, 9 October, submitting a 31-page memorandum with documents showing that the BJP won in all constituencies that had EVMs with 99 percent battery charge, while the Congress won with EVMs with less than 80 percent. Details of such discrepancies in seven constituencies, including Karnal, Dabwali, Rewadi, Panipat City, Hodal (SC), Kalka and Narnaul – all lost by the Congress party – have been submitted.