EC Opposes Disclosure of Voter Turnout Data in Supreme Court Affidavit

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 23rd May. The Election Commission of India (ECI) filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Wednesday opposing the disclosure of voter turnout data based on Form 17C, citing concerns about potential confusion among voters and the risk of misinformation.

In its affidavit, the ECI argued that revealing voter turnout data, including postal ballots, could create confusion among voters, especially in closely contested elections. It expressed apprehension that such disclosure could be exploited to cast doubt on the electoral process and cause chaos in the election machinery.

The ECI emphasized that according to electoral rules, Form 17C is only provided to polling agents and is not intended for general disclosure to the public. It stated that there is no legal right to claim the publication of final authenticated data of voter turnout in all polling stations.

This affidavit was filed in response to an application by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which sought the immediate disclosure of voter turnout data for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The ADR alleged inordinate delays in the publication of voter turnout data for the first two phases of polling and raised concerns about discrepancies in the figures released by the ECI.

The Supreme Court had previously asked the ECI to respond to the ADR’s application, which also requested the tabulated polling station-wise data and constituency-wise voter turnout figures.

The ECI urged the court to dismiss the ADR’s application, labeling it as an attempt by “vested interests” to discredit its functioning.