The application by ADR was filed in light of the recent controversy surrounding the substantial increase in the final voter turn out announced by the ECI for the first two phases of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections as compared to initial estimate announced on the voting day.
The application highlighted that the data published on April 30 showed a sharp increase (by about 5-6%) of final voter turn out as compared to the initial percentages announced by ECI on the day of polling.
This coupled with the delay in announcing the voter turn out has led to concerns among voters and political parties about the correctness of such data, the plea said.
The application was moved by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) in a 2019 case.
The application has sought directions to the ECI to upload scanned, legible copies of Form 17C Part-I (Account of Votes Recorded), on its website.
The data should be uploaded after each phase of polling in the ongoing 2024 elections and must provide constituency and polling station-wise figures of voter turnout in absolute numbers and in percentage form, the application stated.
Additionally, ADR has sought disclosure of the Part- II of Form 17C which contains the candidate-wise result of counting after the compilation of results.
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.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra had earlier orally asked ECI counsel what the difficulty was in putting up the voter turnout details on its website within two days of polling.
Source: Barandbench
