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Bharat Jodo Abhiyan Conference Flags Electoral Integrity Concerns, Experts Point To Anomalies In Andhra Pradesh Poll Data | VIDEO

· Free Press Journal

New Delhi, March 31: A high-level conference organised by Bharat Jodo Abhiyan at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on Monday brought together legal, electoral and policy experts to examine emerging concerns around electoral integrity, with a sharp focus on the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections.

Presenting a detailed, data-backed analysis, economist and political commentator Parakala Prabhakar raised a series of pointed questions regarding unusual voting patterns observed on polling day. His presentation highlighted that voting reportedly continued until 2 AM in nearly 3,500 booths, prompting him to ask: “What explains voting continuing till 2 AM?”

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According to the data shared, 4.16% of total polling was recorded between 11:45 PM and 2 AM, with nearly 52 lakh votes cast between 8 PM and 2 AM, including over 17 lakh votes after midnight. The analysis suggested that one vote was cast every 20 seconds post-midnight. “If 14 seconds are taken as machine timeout, is it possible to cast two votes in just six seconds? Can a voter enter, cast their vote, and exit within that time?” Prabhakar asked, noting that “something unusual appears to have occurred after 8 PM.” He called on the Election Commission of India to provide clear and transparent answers to these anomalies, asserting that electoral integrity has come under serious question.

Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan echoed concerns over transparency and institutional accountability. Questioning the reluctance to disclose Form 17C data, he asked why voter lists were not being made available in machine-readable formats. Bhushan also flagged potential vulnerabilities in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the VVPAT system, arguing that there remains scope for manipulation in the paper trail software. He called for mandatory paper trail counting, stating that opposition to such measures reflects poorly on institutional integrity.

Bhushan further alleged a broader decline in the credibility of the Election Commission, alongside concerns over the misuse of investigative agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate. Stressing the need for procedural transparency, he suggested that the number of voters in queue at the close of polling should be publicly recorded on camera. “In the absence of such safeguards, electoral malpractices can occur in the dark, undermining democratic foundations,” he said, urging citizens to remain vigilant.

Former Chief Election Commissioner S. Y. Quraishi called for systemic reforms, recommending forensic audits of both Form 17C and Form 20. He emphasised that polling percentage data must be released on the same day as per established norms, and that summaries of Form 17C should be made publicly available immediately after polling concludes. Highlighting procedural inconsistencies, Quraishi questioned why discrepancies arise between Form 17C—signed at the booth level by polling agents—and subsequent aggregated data in Form 20.

The conference concluded with a broader consensus on the urgent need for transparency, data integrity, and institutional accountability to safeguard the credibility of India’s electoral process.

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