Election Commission has issued a notice to the Mumbai-based newspaper under IPC sections for defamation and spreading fake news.

Suryavanshi emphasised that all protocols set by the Election Commission were followed during the counting of votes in the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat, with polling and counting agents present on both days.

“Technical features and robust administrative safeguards are in place to rule out any possibility of manipulation,” she assured. “Safeguards include conducting everything in the presence of candidates or their agents. Counting of ETPBS happens in physical form (paper Ballots) and not electronically as falsely claimed.”

Regarding the use of a poll officer’s phone by a relative of Shinde Sena MP Ravindra Waikar, Suryavanshi confirmed that an FIR has been filed and appropriate action will be taken.

Ravindra Waikar won the seat by a margin of just 48 votes against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Amol Sajanan Kirtikar. Reports had initially claimed that Kirtikar, an INDIA bloc candidate, won the seat before the Election Commission announced the result.

SHIV SENA MP’s RELATIVE USED OFFICIAL’S PHONE: FIR

The Mumbai Police filed an FIR on Saturday against Mangesh Pandilkar, a relative of Waikar, and also against poll officer Dinesh Gurav. The FIR was registered based on a complaint by Suchitra Patil, who was an assistant election officer.

According to the FIR details accessed by India Today, Dinesh Gurav, an election staff member working as an encore operator, was permitted to use a mobile phone for data compilation, through which an OTP was generated for data entry. The police allege that Mangesh Pandilkar used the same phone for making and receiving calls.