Guwahati, Jan 12: Assam Congress leader Bobbeeta Sharma, during a press meet on Friday, expressed serious concerns about the Election Commission of India's decision to withhold crucial details related to election outcomes in Guwahati.
Sharma questioned the omission of polling booth names and party affiliations from the Vidhan Sabha booth-wise election results in Form 20 for Assam since 2021.
The pattern was also observed in recent state elections for Kerala (2021), Goa (2022), Punjab (2022), and Karnataka (2023).
The Congress leader further highlighted that Form 20 carried booth-wise results, mentioning polling booth numbers along with polling booth names. Sharma raised queries about the ECI's rationale behind discontinuing this practice, its beneficiaries, and the potential impact on the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Furthermore, the Assam Congress leader expressed concern regarding the authenticity of EVMs and the necessity behind discontinuing the practice of including polling booth names and party affiliations in the election results.
The APCC declared that they would write a letter to the ECI seeking answers and urging the reinstatement of this information in future elections. Along with that, the party also insists on maintaining similar transparency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024.