NGO approaches SC, demands release of voter turnout count in "absolute numbers" within 2 days of polling

NGO seeks Supreme Court order for Election Commission to provide accurate polling data. They request voter turnout figures in absolute numbers and upload Form 17C Part-I data within 48 hours of each polling phase, alleging concerns over delayed and revised turnout announcements in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

An NGO has moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Election Commission to upload polling station-wise voter turnout data in ''absolute figures'' on its website within 48 hours of conclusion of polling for each phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has filed an interim application in its 2019 PIL seeking directions to the poll panel that "scanned legible copies of Form 17C Part-I (Account of Votes Recorded)" of all polling stations be uploaded immediately after the polls.

"Direct the Election Commission to provide tabulated polling station-wise data in absolute figures of the number of votes polled as recorded in Form 17C Part- I after each phase of polling in the on-going 2024 Lok Sabha elections and also a tabulation of constituency-wise figures of voter turnout in absolute numbers in the on-going 2024 Lok Sabha elections," the NGO said.

It said that the plea was filed to ensure that the democratic process is not subverted by electoral irregularities.

"The voter turn-out data for the first two phases of the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections published by ECI on April 30 has been published after 11 days of the first phase of polling held on April 19 and 4 days after second phase of polling held on April 26.

"The data as published by the ECI in its press release dated April 30, 2024 shows a sharp increase (by about 5-6%) as compared to the initial percentages announced by ECI as of 7 pm on the day of polling," the plea said.

The petition said the ''inordinate'' delay in the release of final voter turnout data, coupled with the unusually high revision of over 5 per cent in the poll panel's press note of April 30, 2024 has raised concerns and public suspicion regarding the correctness of the said data.

The non-release of absolute number of votes polled, coupled with the ''unreasonable delay'' in release of votes polled data, has led to apprehensions in the mind of the electorate about the sharp increase between initial data and data released on April 30, it said.

"These apprehensions must be addressed and put to rest. That in order to uphold the voter's confidence it is necessary that the ECI be directed to disclose on its website scanned legible copies of Form 17C Part- I (Account of Votes Recorded) of all polling stations which contains the authenticated figures for votes polled, within 48hours of the close of polling," it said.

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