The Congress party has intensified its demands for comprehensive electoral documentation, insisting on receiving digital voter registration records and surveillance footage from Maharashtra and Haryana polling stations before agreeing to meet with the Election Commission regarding disputed Assembly election results.

Responding to the central electoral authority's invitation for Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to discuss concerns over Maharashtra's Assembly election outcomes, Congress leadership outlined specific preconditions for any dialogue. The party has requested machine-readable digital copies of voter lists from both the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Maharashtra, along with complete CCTV recordings from polling day activities in both Maharashtra and Haryana.

Congress officials established a one-week deadline for the Election Commission to provide the requested materials, stating that senior party leadership would be prepared to engage in discussions only after receiving this documentation. The party indicated it would present its analytical findings during any subsequent meeting with electoral officials.

The dispute originated from Gandhi's allegations that Maharashtra's Assembly elections were manipulated, claims he detailed in a published article criticizing the Election Commission's handling of the electoral process. The poll body responded by dismissing these accusations and affirming that all procedures were conducted in strict compliance with parliamentary legislation governing elections.

Gandhi has maintained sustained criticism of the electoral authority since late 2024, particularly questioning the substantial increase in voter registration between the Lok Sabha elections and the subsequent Assembly polls. He has also raised concerns about unusual patterns in voter turnout, specifically highlighting a significant surge in participation rates after 5 PM on polling day in Maharashtra.

The Congress leader has additionally criticized the Election Commission's decision to reduce the mandatory retention period for election-related video documentation and photographs to 45 days, arguing that this policy change could potentially enable the destruction of crucial evidence.

In its communication to Gandhi dated June 12, the Election Commission noted that election-related disputes would typically be addressed through formal election petitions filed with the appropriate high court by affected candidates. However, the commission expressed willingness to engage in direct dialogue, offering to meet at a mutually acceptable time to address any outstanding concerns.

The ongoing confrontation reflects broader tensions between opposition parties and electoral authorities over transparency and accountability in India's democratic processes, with Congress positioning itself as a defender of electoral integrity while the Election Commission maintains its institutional credibility and procedural compliance.