Election Commission Under Fire: Allegations of Puppetry and Irregularities

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accuses the Election Commission of being a puppet of the government, citing irregularities in the 2024 Maharashtra polls. The Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, demands machine-readable voter lists and polling day footage, alleging vote theft and manipulation by the EC.

Allegations against the Election Commission are mounting as Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge labels the institution a 'puppet' manipulated by the government. During a press briefing, Kharge highlighted discrepancies in the voter lists for the 2024 Maharashtra elections, suggesting undue influence by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

These accusations come after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi presented evidence pointing to significant irregularities. The party is demanding immediate access to machine-readable digital voter rolls and CCTV footage to verify claims of 'vote theft'. According to Congress, the increase in voter numbers is inconsistent with past trends.

The Election Commission has yet to respond to the demands for digital records and video evidence. The Congress has criticized the EC for failing to address their concerns, accusing the government of exerting widespread control, particularly with alleged RSS influence.

(With inputs from agencies.)