Congress’s allegation- For the first time, counting agents will not be present at the ARO table

New Delhi: With the seventh phase of polling on June 1, Saturday, the voting process for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 concluded. After that, exit polls were released by different media channels and survey agencies in the evening. Three surveys projected the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to get 400 or more seats. The results of the Lok Sabha elections will be out on June 4. Meanwhile, Congress leader Ajay Maken protested against a new rule made regarding the counting process. He accused the Election Commission and said that for the first time, counting agents of candidates will not be allowed at the table of the Assistant Electoral Officer (ARO) during the counting process on June 4.

The Congress leader urged the Election Commission of India to resolve this, calling it a bigger issue than the alleged rigging in EVMs. Maken said on the social media platform X, ‘For the first time, counting agents of candidates are not being allowed to be present at the table of the Assistant Electoral Officer (ARO). I have contested nine Lok Sabha and Assembly elections before and this is happening for the first time. If this is true, then it is bigger than the alleged EVM tampering. I am raising this issue for all candidates. I hope the Election Commission officials will rectify it soon.

‘However, Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer clarified that counting agents of candidates will be allowed to be at the RO and ARO’s table during the counting process. The Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi office said, ‘It is clarified that counting agents of candidates are allowed at the RO/ARO’s table.’