Congress Delegation Discusses Maharashtra Poll with the ECI: Press briefing by AM Singhvi post the event

[Sukla Sen]

<https://www.youtube.com/live/lYWrULT0OX0>

The pitch of the allegations of EVM tampering has visibly been piped down.

That's a significant development.

The issues of (targeted?) voter deletion and addition -- their modalities -- have been foregrounded. That's highly welcome.

The hotly discussed issue of an addition of 76 lakh in reported voter turnout between 5:00 PM of the polling day and the final figure released next day is squarely put on the table.

The delegation has asked for "raw data" concerning all the three above. The ECI has promised to promptly oblige and also provide written confirmations of all the explanations/clarifications proffered.

The emphasis is now on transparency.

Conclusions are to be drawn -- not in a knee-jerk fashion -- only after securing the relevant data and then carrying out the due scrutiny.

That's exactly how it should be.

But, this simply can't work unless the custodian of the data -- the ECI -- shares it, with all the stakeholders, in a prompt and credible manner.

It's not clear whether demand for restoration of the earlier practice of uploading the Form 17C and 20 data -- booth wise -- on the ECI website has been made or not.

Looks like, the issue of free flow of hate speeches severely undermining the fairness of the poll process has not been flagged.

Of course, it has got to be an ongoing dialogue. Let's see.

Not to forget, eternal vigilance is the price of democracy.