The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO, on Friday urged the Supreme Court to direct the Election Commission to upload on its website polling station-wise voter turnout data in “absolute figures” within 48 hours of the conclusion of polling in each phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
The NGO has alleged serious dichotomy in the initial and subsequent declaration of polling percentage in the first two phases of the elections.
The ADR in its application filed through advocate Prashant Bhushan stated that the plea was aimed at ensuring that the democratic process was not subverted by electoral irregularities.
“The voter turnout data
for the first two phases of the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections published by the ECI on April 30 has been published after 11 days of the first
phase of polling held on 19th April and 4 days after the second phase of polling held on 26th April.
“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) compared to the initial percentages announced by the ECI as of 7pm on the day of polling,” Bhushan said.
“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,” he added.
