The Election Commission of India (ECI) 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, which alleged serious inconsistencies. In its interim response to the party, the poll authority invited a Congress delegation on December 3 to discuss concerns expressed by it.

The commission reiterated that the process was transparent with the involvement of candidates or their agents at every stage. It also assured of a review of the Congress’ legitimate concerns and a written response after hearing the party’s delegation in person.

The Congress on Friday raised with the ECI "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.

The poll-body asserted that a transparent electoral roll updation process was undertaken with the involvement of all political parties. Responding to the issue regarding the voter turnout data, the ECI asserted that there was no discrepancy in it and the data was available with all candidates polling station-wise and is verifiable. The gap in the 5 pm polling data and the final voter turnout was due to procedural priorities, as presiding officers perform multiple statutory duties near the close of polling before updating the voter turnout data.

As an additional disclosure measure, an ECI press note at around 11:45 pm was introduced during the 2024 Lok Sabha election and followed subsequently during all Assembly polls thereafter, the poll body told the Congress.

The ECI said that total votes polled at each polling booth was given by the presiding  officer, before leaving the polling station, to the authorised agents of candidates (Form 17 C Part1) at the end of polling on 20th November, the day of polling in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. This cannot be changed. This number aggregates to final voter turnout which all political parties and candidates can verify. For the conduct of elections, ECI takes employees on election duty from various departments of state government. The presiding officer near the completion of polling at the polling station performs multiple statutory responsibilities like filling up of various statutory forms, record keeping of activities, sealing of the machines, etc. before winding up the polling at the polling station.

“The Commission will convey its detailed reply to the issues raised in your letter at the earliest possible, but after suitably hearing from you further in-person, for which you have conveyed a request. Accordingly, INC delegation is welcome to the Commission at 5 PM on 3'd December 2024,” the poll body said.