New Delhi: A public interest lawsuit has been filed in the Supreme Court, asking for the Election Commission of India to be ordered to reveal the authenticated voter turnout data following each polling phase in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
According to the petition, for the current general polls, the poll body should submit a tabulation of the voter turnout statistics, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage, for each constituency and polling station.
Referring to the voter turnout data published by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on April 30 for the first two phases, after 11 days of the first phase of polling held on April 19, and 4 days after the second phase of polling held on April 26, the PIL claimed “dereliction of duty” on part of the poll panel in declaring election results (of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies through Electronic Voting Machines), based on accurate and indisputable data which is put in public domain, IANS reported.
"The data, as published by the ECI in its press release dated April 30, 2024, shows a sharp increase (by about 5-6 per cent) as compared to the initial percentages announced by ECI, as of 7 p.m. on the day of polling. It is submitted that the inordinate delay in the release of final voter turnout data, coupled with the unusually high revision (of over 5 per cent) in the ECI’s press note of April 30, 2024, and the absence of disaggregated constituency and polling station figures in absolute numbers, has raised concerns and public suspicion regarding the correctness of the said data," the plea said.
It added that these apprehensions must be addressed and put to rest, and 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.
"The Applicants/Petitioners have filed the instant Public Interest Litigation under Article 32 of the Constitution of India to ensure that the democratic process is not subverted by electoral irregularities and to ensure free and fair elections and rule of law and for the enforcement of fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India," the plea said.