The Social Democratic Party of India is profoundly shocked and dismayed by the mounting evidence of electoral malpractices that have cast a dark shadow over India’s democratic process, particularly in the 2024 Haryana and Maharashtra assembly elections. SDPI stands with millions of citizens whose voices appear to have been systematically suppressed through what can only be described as a brazen assault on the electorate’s will.
The facts are irrefutable and demand immediate accountability. In Haryana, the BJP clinched an improbable 48 seats in the 90 member assembly, defying pre poll surveys that projected a Congress majority of 50 to 60 seats. Astonishingly, the BJP overturned leads in 22 constituencies with razor thin margins under 1,000 votes, 18 of which they won, amid reports of “mathematically impossible” vote flips, as highlighted by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s reference to the “Brazilian model” of EVM manipulation. Similarly, in Maharashtra, the BJP led Mahayuti alliance swept 235 of 288 seats, buoyed by unexplained 2 3 percent surges in voter turnout in BJP strongholds like Pune and Nagpur, affecting over 60 seats per RTI disclosures. Discrepancies between Form 17C polling data and final tallies exceeded 2.1 percent in these areas, with statistical analyses from independent bodies like the Association for Democratic Reforms identifying 8 percent “anomalous” outcomes.
The Election Commission of India’s fact checks, while dismissing claims as “baseless,” have withheld crucial booth level data in violation of court orders, fueling widespread distrust. With VVPAT mismatch rates reported at a mere 0.001 percent, yet no full audits in disputed seats, this opacity erodes the very foundation of our republic.
SDPI unequivocally condemns these irregularities as a direct threat to marginalized communities, including Muslims and Dalits, whose votes are often the first casualties of such machinations. We urge the Supreme Court to expedite hearings on pending PILs for comprehensive VVPAT recounts and source code audits. The ECI must release all Form 17C details transparently. Failure to act will only embolden authoritarian tendencies.
India’s democracy cannot survive on suspicion alone. It thrives on verifiable truth. SDPI calls upon all democratic forces to unite against this vote chori and restore faith in our institutions.
Yasmin Farooqui
National General Secretary
Social Democratic Party of India
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