New Delhi/IBNS: Following a huge setback in Haryana, Congress leaders met the Election Commission on Wednesday evening and registered a strong complaint, alleging that Electronic Voting Machines have been hacked.

Party spokesman Pawan Khera said the hacking took place across 20 seats, for seven of which they have submitted documentary evidence.

He said the papers for the other 13 will be submitted within 48 hours.

"We have requested that all the machines be sealed and secured till investigations are completed," Khera told reporters. 

He said the party submitted evidence of hacking at Karnal, Dabwali, Rewari, Panipat City, Hodal, Kalka and Narnaul.

"Counting of votes in a fair, transparent and accountable manner is the hallmark of any electoral process that claims to be in consonance with the principles of free and fair elections and the doctrine of the level-playing field as envisaged by the Constitution," the party memorandum to the EC said.

"It is a shocking result. Everyone said Congress will form government," said former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was the face of the Congress campaign and the party's Chief Ministerial candidate.

Hooda said the Congress always wins when the postal ballots are opened but the numbers start sliding once the counting of votes from Electronic Voting Machines or EVMs begins.

Upsetting exit poll predictions, the BJP, which failed to secure an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year leading to a coalition government, salvaged its prestige in Haryana by bouncing back on Tuesday for a historic third consecutive term by bagging 49 of the 90 seats in the state assembly.

Following the declaration of the result, the Congress party said it was "shocking and unacceptable".

"The results in Haryana are totally unexpected, completely surprising and counter-intuitive. It goes against the reality. It goes against what the people in Haryana had made their mind up for, which was for change and transformation. Under these circumstances, it is not possible for us to accept the results that have been announced today," Ramesh said addressing a press conference on Tuesday evening.

"What we have seen today in Haryana is a victory for manipulation, a victory for subverting the will of the people and it is a defeat for transparent, democratic processes. The chapter on Haryana is not complete."

In Jammu and Kashmir, which concluded a historic election to pick its government after a decade and post abrogation of Article 370, the National Conference-Congress alliance has swept, bagging 49 of the 90 seats.