Lok Sabha Polls: Opposition Accuses Election Commission Of Bias, Alleges Seven-Phase Polling Aims To Favor BJP

Criticism was voiced by the Opposition on Saturday regarding the seven-phase Lok Sabha election, as India embarked on one of its lengthiest election cycles.

In Bengaluru, remarks were made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, suggesting that the extended schedule implied that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "wants to tour everywhere."

Photo Credit: PTI

Opposition Accuses Election Commission of Bias

While speaking on the matter, Kharge suggested that the polls could have been conducted in three or four phases, expressing concern that the current schedule would halt most government work until at least June 4.

"Halting all work for nearly 70-80 days, how will the country progress? Because of the election code of conduct, materials will not be supplied, and budgetary expenditure will not be spent. So, according to me, this is not beneficial. This could have been completed within three or four phases," Kharge stated.

The sentiment echoed by Kharge was also reiterated by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who expressed that the lengthy election schedule aimed to diminish the anti-ruling party sentiment among people. Additionally, Sanjay Raut, another party leader, observed ongoing developments under the Modi regime amidst Maharashtra's five-phase polls.

Meanwhile, NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto raised questions about the five-phase elections in Maharashtra, pondering whether they were driven by fear or concerns about electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Similarly, the Trinamool Congress criticized the Election Commission's decision to conduct elections in seven phases for West Bengal's 42 seats, advocating for a single or twin-phase election to prevent political parties with deeper pockets from gaining undue advantage, as stated by Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya in Kolkata.

Despite being a critic of the Trinamool, Congress' Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury voiced support for the seven-phase polls in the state, emphasizing the need to ensure a peaceful electoral process.

Evolution of Election Durations in India

The 2019 elections, conducted over seven phases, had a duration of 39 days between the first and last phases, which has now been extended to 44 days for the 2024 elections. Additionally, five years ago, the model code of conduct was effective for at least 75 days, whereas this time, it will be in place for 80 days until the counting day on June 4.

The gap between the first and last phases of the 2024 polls is second only to the inaugural general elections in 1951-52, which lasted over five months. Over the years, the duration between the phases of general elections has varied significantly. In 1957, it spanned over 19 days, reducing to seven days in 1962 and further down to five days in 1967.

This interval increased to ten days in 1971 but decreased again to five days in 1977 and four days in 1980. Subsequently, both the 1984 and 1989 elections had polling durations of five days each. In the 1991 elections, polling commenced on May 20, with the final phase occurring on June 15, resulting in a gap of 27 days.

In 1996, the gap increased to 34 days, only to be reduced to eight days in 1998. The gap between the first and last phases of polling in 1999 was 32 days, while it was 22 days in 2004, 28 days in 2009, and 36 days in 2014.