A petition filed in the Supreme Court by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has brought to surface concerns regarding the notable surge observed in voter turnout figures between the initial and final phases of parliamentary elections. The petition, submitted on Thursday in an ongoing matter, seeks directives for the Election Commission of India (ECI) to disclose authenticated data of votes polled across all polling stations on its official website.
The crux of the petition revolves around the alleged delay and lack of transparency in disseminating comprehensive voting data by the ECI. Notably, the application takes exception to the purportedly unreasonable delay in releasing the data on votes polled, with detailed statistics for the first phase of voting emerging 11 days after polling on April 19, and for the second phase, four days post-voting on April 26.
The discrepancies between provisional and revised voter turnout figures, as disclosed by the ECI, have further fueled apprehensions among the electorate. The initial provisional figures, issued soon after polling for the first and second phases concluded, indicated a turnout of approximately 60% and 60.96%, respectively. However, revised data released on April 30 recorded a notable increase, with the cumulative voting figures for both phases reaching 66.14% and 66.71%.
The application, presented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, underscores the imperative for the ECI to assuage public concerns by promptly releasing authenticated data of votes polled. It urges the apex court to direct the ECI to publish scanned copies of Form 17C Part-I (Account of Votes Recorded) from all polling stations within 48 hours of the cessation of polling.
In addition to advocating for transparency in disclosing constituency and polling station-wise voter turnout figures, the petition also calls for the dissemination of candidate-wise results recorded as per Part-II of Form 17C.
This latest legal maneuver by ADR supplements its existing petition filed in 2019, which raised concerns regarding electronic voting machines (EVMs). The fresh application, expected to be heard in the upcoming week, spotlights the perceived delays and irregularities in voter turnout data release, adding a new dimension to the ongoing discourse surrounding electoral integrity.
The burgeoning debate over polling data accuracy has garnered attention from various quarters, including political entities like the Congress, Trinamool Congress, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), all of which have voiced concerns over the transparency and reliability of ECI’s data.
While the ECI has vehemently refuted allegations of mismanagement and delay in data release, the Supreme Court’s intervention may provide clarity and reassurance to an electorate grappling with uncertainties amidst the electoral process.
