AAP accuses EC of manipulating polling diaries

New Delhi, May 17: The Aam Aadmi Party has alleged that the Election Commission got the polling diaries manipulated by presiding officers in the South Delhi Lok Sabha seat. The returning officer of the South Delhi constituency, however, said it is "misinformation" and no officers were called in this regard to the EC office.

AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj alleged about 200-250 presiding officers have been called to the EC office in the last two days and they have been asked to "change sensitive information in the polling diaries". Polling diaries are used to note hourly activity at a booth on the polling day.

"These diaries contain sensitive information and we want to know why the Election Commission asked presiding officers to modify the information," Bhardwaj claimed.

An election commission official, requesting anonymity, said the officials were called for clarification over new entries in the polling diaries. Raghav Chadha, the AAP candidate from South Delhi, asked why documents are being "recreated".

"Have learnt through reliable sources that EC has summoned presiding officers of South Delhi Parliamentary Constituency's polling stations to re-create and re-sign EVM related documents. This is shocking. What is going on? Why are docs being recreated? Are EVMs being replaced too?" Chadha tweeted.

The BJP said the AAP has sensed their defeat and that is why they are levelling baseless allegations against the EC. Delhi BJP media in-charge Pratyush Kanth said levelling charges against independent constitutional institutions like the Election Commission shows the Aam Aadmi Party has no trust in the Constitution of India. The AAP is clearly foreseeing its defeat in these Lok Sabha elections, he said.

PTI