Congress Demands Digital Voter List: EC Rejects Plea

The Election Commission declined Congress's request for a machine-readable digital copy of Maharashtra's voter list, based on legal precedents. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has pushed for this change, despite a 2019 Supreme Court ruling against a similar plea. EC maintains the elections follow legal protocols.

The Election Commission (EC) has refused Congress's request for a machine-readable digital copy of the Maharashtra voter list, labeling the demand as legally untenable. This decision follows a Supreme Court ruling from 2019 that rejected a similar plea by the party.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has persistently advocated for a digital electoral roll over the past seven months. EC sources suggest this move is part of a longstanding strategy by Congress, which appears to be selectively obscured in current representations.

The EC referred back to the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict, stating that the electoral roll does not need to be provided in a searchable PDF as demanded by Congress but rather in a 'text mode' format as required by the Election Manual. The EC asserts that elections remain compliant with legal frameworks.

(With inputs from agencies.)