RJD, Congress allege irregularities by EC in announcing poll winners

The charges were denied by the Election Commission of India (EC), and said they were going about their duties with all procedures followed impartially

Members of the opposition Mahagathbandhan, including Manoj Jha of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Randeep Singh Surjewala of the Congress, on Tuesday alleged irregularities in the counting process in seats with tight margins, as the Grand Alliance appeared to make a late charge but fell short of the crucial majority mark in a close contest against the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The charges were denied by the Election Commission of India (EC), and said they were going about their duties with all procedures followed impartially.

Grand alliance leaders RJD leader Manoj Jha, Congress leader Tariq Anwar and other party leaders arrive at election office during the counting of votes for the Bihar Assembly election in Patna. (PTI)

Jha alleged that leaders from the ruling Janata Dal (United) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were “misusing their official power” to delay the handing over of certificates to winning candidates, and thereby leaving the scope for tampering with the final results in the elections held amid the Covid-19 curbs.

Jha, the national spokesman of the RJD, said that the Mahagathbandhan -- the RJD, the Congress and three Left parties -- was confident of pulling off a victory at the last moment. “Our strike rate is better than others. The JD(U)-BJP leaders are sitting at the chief minister’s residence. I urge these leaders and the administration that it is their duty to be impartial,” he said.

Jha, however, did not elaborate on what this alleged pressure amounted to.

Surjewala said that in Kishanganj, the Congress candidate won by 1,266 votes. “Now the Congress candidate is being denied a winning certificate,” he alleged.

Responding to their comments, the EC said that there was no wrongdoing of any kind, and that some winning certificates were pending further verification because of the tight margins.

“We have cross-checked with the chief election commissioner of Bihar and the allegations (by the RJD) are found to have been false and are not substantiated. At no place has counting of postal ballots stopped,” said deputy election commissioner Chandra Bhushan, in charge of Bihar

JD(U) dismissed the Grand Alliance’s allegations.

“The one who used to take gin out of ballot boxes are talking about foul play. What an irony. They (Grand Alliance) are taking respect out of the mandate,” said JD(U) spokesperson Ajay Alok.