Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has approached the Supreme Court of India with a petition that focuses on the need for transparent disclosure of voter turnout data in the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
NEW DELHI: Today (10th May): A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court of India, urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to promptly disclose authenticated data on voter turnout in all polling stations, including the number of votes polled, within 48 hours of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
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The application, filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), raises concerns over discrepancies and delays in the announcement of voter turnout percentages by the ECI. The ADR emphasizes the importance of transparency in the electoral process to uphold free and fair elections.
Background:
The matter followed a substantial increase in the final voter turnout figures for the first two phases of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, which sparked the demand for transparent disclosure of data. On April 30, the ECI announced a significant rise of approximately 5–6% in the final voter turnout as compared to the initial percentages reported on the day of polling. This discrepancy, coupled with the delayed release of voter turnout data, has raised doubts among voters and political parties regarding the accuracy and integrity of the information.
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Although the main plea of the ADR to tally voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips with electronic voting machines (EVMs) was rejected by the Supreme Court on April 26, a new application has been filed seeking specific directions to the ECI. The application urges the ECI to upload scanned and legible copies of Form 17C Part-I (Account of Votes Recorded) on its official website.
This data should be uploaded after each phase of polling in the ongoing 2024 elections and must include constituency- and polling station-wise figures of voter turnout in both absolute numbers and percentage form. Furthermore, ADR requests the disclosure of Part-II of Form 17C, which contains the candidate-wise result of the counting process.
ADR highlights the crucial role of transparent data disclosure in preventing electoral irregularities and ensuring the integrity of the democratic process. The organization alleges a dereliction of duty on the part of the ECI in declaring election results based on accurate and indisputable data obtained from EVMs. The delayed release of voter turnout data, along with the absence of detailed constituency and polling station figures, has fueled public suspicion and concerns regarding the accuracy of the information provided by the ECI.
Several political figures and parties have expressed their support for transparent data disclosure. The All India Trinamool Congress, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Sitaram Yechury, have written letters to the ECI requesting the publication of comprehensive information, including the total number of electors, voters registered, and votes polled.
Case Title: Association for Democratic Reforms & Anr. v Election Commission of India & Anr
