New Delhi, May 26: The Election Commission of India (ECI) released the absolute number of voters for the first five phases of the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. This move comes in response to sustained pressure from non-BJP parties, independent media houses, civil society groups, and activists.
In an official statement, the ECI addressed what it termed a “pattern of false narratives and mischievous designs to vitiate the electoral process.”
The statement followed a Supreme Court adjournment of petitions demanding the release of booth-wise voter turnout numbers and copies of Form 17C, which details the votes polled at each station. The court stated that it could not mandate such a release amidst ongoing elections.
Refuting allegations of delayed voter turnout data, the ECI emphasized that the information is consistently available on the Voter Turnout App, which publishes estimated turnout every two hours until 5:30 PM on polling days. Data is updated continuously after 7:00 PM as polling parties begin reporting, with the app showing the best estimated “Close of Poll (COP)” data by midnight.
To enhance transparency, the ECI announced it would expand the voter turnout data format to include the absolute number of voters in every parliamentary constituency. This decision aims to provide clearer insights and address any doubts about the electoral process.
