After leveling charges of alleged `manipulations’ in elections, Congress has formed a committee to monitor the conduct of free and fair elections by the Election Commission of India. The committee named as Empowered Action Group of Leaders and Experts (EAGLE) will first take up the alleged manipulation of voters’ list in Maharashtra followed by Haryana and submit a detailed report to the party high command.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge constituted EAGLE with immediate effect to monitor the conduct of free and fair elections by the poll watchdog. The panel includes Congress treasurer Ajay Maken and senior leaders Digvijaya Singh, Abhishek Singhvi, Praveen Chakravarty and Pawan Khera. Besides, Gurdeep Singh Sappal, Nitin Raut and Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy are also part of the panel.

Besides Maharashtra, ‘EAGLE’ will also analyse past elections in other States, and proactively monitor upcoming elections and all other issues related to the conduct of free and fair elections in the country. Congress led INDIA bloc members had anticipated a massive win in both the States but only to be routed completely.

Members of Opposition parties under the INDIA bloc has claim that about 63 election petitions have been filed across various benches of the Bombay High Court against discrepancies in the recently held Assembly election. About 25 Congress leaders have filed petitions, before the Nagpur and Aurangabad benches of the High Court. Five Congress leaders from Marathwada have also filed poll petitions.

Some other petitions have been filed by NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates through advocate Aseem Sarode at the Principal Bench. The petitioners have alleged misconduct in the polls, including duplicate voting, concealed criminal cases, asset concealment, EVM malfunctions, bribery, and lack of election transparency.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had last month alleged that there is a “serious problem” with the country’s election system and that the Nirvachan Sadan must ensure transparency in polls which the first faith of the people of India.

Rahul rued the fact as why the Election Commission has refused to provide Congress and other opposition voter lists of Maharashtra and Haryana elections despite of several reminders and memorandum.

In his address to party workers at the inauguration of the new party headquarters last month, Rahul had alleged there has been an increase of nearly one crore voters between Maharashtra Lok Sabha and assembly elections but the Election Commission is neither answering the queries raised by the opposition nor giving the lists of voters.