The Election Commission of India (ECI) has informed the Supreme Court that there is no legal requirement to publish final authenticated data of voter turnout in all polling stations. In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the ECI stated that disclosing voter turnout data based on Form 17C, which includes postal ballot counts, could cause confusion among voters, as per the Bar and Bench report.
The ECI argued that in close electoral contests, the margin of victory could be very narrow, and public disclosure of Form 17C could lead to misunderstandings about the total votes polled. This confusion, the ECI warned, could be exploited by individuals with malicious intent to cast doubt on the entire electoral process and disrupt the election machinery, the report added.
Livemint could not independently verify this news developmnet.
The affidavit was filed in response to a petition by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) seeking the disclosure of final authenticated voter turnout data, including the number of votes polled in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, within 48 hours of polling. The ECI also criticized ADR, alleging that certain “vested interests” were making false allegations to discredit its work, the report added.
The ECI further argued that ADR was claiming a legal entitlement where none existed, especially during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The affidavit referenced the recent Supreme Court judgment on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), highlighting strictures against ADR and accusing the organization of spreading doubts and misinformation, the report further added.
The application by ADR highlighted concerns over the substantial increase in final voter turnout announced by the ECI for the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections compared to initial estimates. ADR sought directions for the ECI to upload scanned, legible copies of Form 17C Part-I (Account of Votes Recorded) on its website after each phase of polling, along with constituency and polling station-wise figures of voter turnout in absolute numbers and percentage form, as per the report.
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Published: 23 May 2024, 09:29 AM IST