In its application, ADR emphasised that such disclosure is imperative to ensure that the that democratic process is not subverted by electoral irregularities and to ensure free and fair elections.
ADR alleged that there has been a dereliction of duty on the part of the ECI in declaring election results through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) based on accurate and indisputable data.
To bolster this contention, ADR submitted that so far, the voter turn out data published by the ECI on April 30 was 11 days after the first phase and 4 days later for the second phase.
The delay, coupled with the high revision rate 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 application stated.
The application also pointed out that the All India Trinamool Congress wrote a letter on May 6 to the ECI calling upon the ECI to publish the total number of electors in each parliamentary constituency, total number of voters as noted in register of voters, and the number of voters as per EVM for all the constituencies that have already gone to polls in phases I and II.
Similarly, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had also written to other political parties questioning the increase in voter turn-out percentage and non-disclosure of number of votes polled in numbers, the application said.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Sitaram Yechury also wrote a letter to the ECI raising concerns over delays and discrepancies in the release of voting figures by the ECI.
It is ADR’s argument that in view of these developments it is necessary to direct the ECI to disclose the data within 48 hours after polling is closed, so that voters’ confidence does not erode any further.
Source: Barandbench
