A day after Supreme Court declined to direct Election Commission to publish booth-wise elector data as recorded in Form 17C, the poll panel released the absolute number of eligible voters and votes cast across parliamentary constituencies in the first five phases, to set at rest “false narratives” about a “delay” in release of voter turnout data.
Of over 763 mn eligible voters in the first five phases of the Lok Sabha polls, as many as 507 mn people have cast their vote, according to data shared by EC.
The revision in format of release of turnout data came even as Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar questioned the trend of repeatedly raising of “unfounded doubts” on the electoral processes during LS elections.
“First, questions are raised about purity of the electoral roll, then attempts are made to discredit EVMs. Amid polling, doubts are cast over turnout data,” he underlined after completion of 6th phase of polling.
Stating that the electoral processes, design and systems are well-settled and earnestly followed election after election, the CEC said polls conducted in around 22-23 states since the 2019 general election have followed the very same processes. “Pattern in raising suspicion without concrete examples, only when a general election to the Lok Sabha is under way, must be studied,” he said.
Describing the grievance redressal system of EC as “very robust”, Kumar said: “If there’s indeed a mistake or failure, it must be pointed out. Planting unfounded doubts in minds of voters as regards the electoral processes may adversely impact turnouts.”
EC reiterated that complete elector data is available with the authorised agents of all candidates as part of Form 17C, a copy of which is shared with them after polling. “With approximately 10,50,000 polling stations across the country, almost 40,00,000 agents and around 8,000 candidates get all turnout data by way of Form 17C,” said an EC official. Thus, the total number of votes polled in a constituency, as recorded in Form 17C can never be changed even by anyone’s hypothetical mischief, it asserted.
Asked why the absolute elector data was released only after five phases, Kumar said EC was awaiting the Supreme Court verdict in the relevant case. “But the fact is that the polling data was always available, even as it was being updated, via the EC Voter Turnout app. As per the electors data, around 110 mn of the total 166 mn electors voted in Phase 1 (66.1%), 106 mn of a total 159 mn electors (66.7%) in Phase 2, 113 mn of 172 mn (65.7%) in Phase 3, 122 mn of 177 mn (69.2%) in Phase 4 and 56 mn of 89 mn electors (62.2%) in Phase 5. The commission reiterated that there was no delay in the release of voter turnout data, which, it said, is updated on a two-hourly basis till 5.30 pm on polling day.
