The Election Commission of India has released the absolute number of voters for the first five phases on Saturday amid complaints and questions raised by political parties on the delay.
The Commission stated that it feels duly strengthened by the Supreme Court’s decision to turn down the plea to direct ECI to release the turnout data. The SC bench had on 24th May 2024 said that it cannot interrupt the ongoing elections. Stating that a “hands-off approach has to be taken”, the bench remarked, “Let us have some trust in the authority,”
ECI said that this verdict brings upon it, a higher responsibility to serve the cause of electoral democracy with undeterred resolution. The Commission also said that it has noted the “pattern of false narratives and mischievous design to vitiate electoral process”.
The Commission maintained that the turnout data and the absolute number of voters in every parliamentary constituency are already made available in public domain and also to individual political parties the detailed process of recording and release of turnout data and the manner of custody and usages of form 17C.
It asserted that the process of collection and storage of votes polled is rigorous, transparent and participative and the Commission and its officials across the states have been disseminating voter turnout data in the best possible manner, taking into account statutory considerations. The whole exercise of release of turnout data from the date of commencement of polls on 19th April 2024 has been accurate, consistent and in accordance with election laws and without any discrepancy whatsoever, it added.
ECI further said that the total number of votes polled in a constituency, as recorded in Form 17C, can never be changed even by anyone’s hypothetical mischief, as it is available with all contesting candidates. It also underlined that there has been no delay in the release of voter turnout data. Voter turnout data was always available 24X7 on facilitative Voter Turnout App from 9:30am in the morning of poll day of each phase, it said.
