Delhi EC Counters Kejriwal's Claims with Election Rule Compliance

The Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi has dismissed allegations by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, asserting full compliance with the Election Rules 1961. The poll body states that Form 17C, showing booth-wise vote counts, was provided to polling agents at every station, countering claims of non-transparency.

Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer defended the integrity of the Election Commission's processes on Friday, denying allegations by Aam Aadmi Party's Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal accused the Commission of failing to provide booth-level voting data, a claim refuted by citing adherence to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.

In an official response, the Delhi CEO's office emphasized that all Presiding Officers adhered to Rule 49S, which mandates the documentation of votes in Form 17C, and confirmed this was shared with polling agents during the February 5, 2025 polls. This counters Kejriwal's assertion of withheld data.

Despite the AAP leader's complaints about the EC's reluctance to upload Form 17C online, the CEO's office insists transparency was maintained. Each polling agent was provided a verified copy of Form 17C, as per procedural requirements, challenging the allegations of non-compliance.

(With inputs from agencies.)