The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday rejected Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s claim of inordinate delay in updating results of the Haryana Assembly elections on the website of the poll panel and called it “ill-founded”.

Alleging an inordinate delay in updating results of the Haryana elections, Ramesh, who is the Congress general secretary in-charge of Communications, urged the EC to issue directions to its officials to update the website with “true and accurate” figures.

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In response to his memorandum, SB Joshi, Principal Secretary, EC, wrote to Ramesh, “With reference to your memorandum dated 8th October regarding unexplained slowdown in updating of results of Haryana Assembly Elections 2024 on the ECI website, the Commission notes that previously on 4th June, in the context of General Elections 2024, a somewhat similar concern was raised by INC which was ill founded and dismissed by the Commission.”

Joshi said the Commission categorically responded that counting of votes is being carried out as per Rule 60 of Conduct of Election Rules at the designated counting centres and by the designated authorities following the statutory and regulatory regime.

“With reference to your today’s memorandum regarding slowdown in updating of results of Haryana on the ECI website, it is reiterated that, entire counting process in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir is unfolding in the presence of candidates, observers and micro-observers as per the statutory scheme. There is nothing on record to substantiate your ill-founded allegation of slowdown in updating of results. Your Memorandum also does not bring out any contrary facts as to the delay at any of the constituencies in Haryana or Jammu and Kashmir,” the senior official said.

Joshi said approximately 25 rounds across all the constituencies are being updated every five minutes, which testifies dissemination of the counting process in a speedy manner.

“In view of the above, I am directed to convey that the Commission unequivocally rejects your attempt to surreptitiously give credence to irresponsible, unfounded and uncorroborated malafide narratives,” the senior official added.

Earlier in the day, in his memorandum addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, Ramesh wrote, “Respected Sirs, over the last two hours between 9-11 AM, there has been an unexplained slowdown in updating of results on the ECI’s website.”

“As you can imagine this allows bad-faith actors to spin narratives that undermine the process. You can see examples of it already playing out on social media. Our fear is also that such narratives can then be used by these mala fide actors to influence processes where counting is still underway i.e. in most of the counting centres,” he said.

Ramesh urged the poll panel to issue immediate directions to the officials to update the website with “true and accurate figures so that false news and malicious narratives can be countered immediately.”

“Like the Lok Sabha elections, in Haryana, we are again witnessing slowing down of uploading up-to-date trends on the ECI website. Is the BJP trying to build pressure on the administration by sharing outdated and misleading trends ECI?” he also wrote on X.

The BJP appeared set to retain power in Haryana as the party led in 49 seats while the National Conference (NC)-Congress combine was also ahead in 49 constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir as counting of votes in the Assembly elections progressed this afternoon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini were the leading campaigners for the saffron party in the elections. The Congress campaign in the state, on the other hand, was led by former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda though party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi also campaigned vigorously.