Welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision to refrain from issuing directions on a plea seeking the upload of Form 17C data, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday affirmed that vote data shared with polling agents on poll day through Form 17C cannot be altered.
The ECI noted a pattern of creating false narratives and attempts to undermine the electoral process, stating there has been no delay in releasing voter turnout data. The Commission clarified that parliamentary constituency-wise voter turnout data has always been accessible to candidates and the public via the Voter Turnout App.
The ECI proactively released constituency-wise voter turnout numbers for all completed phases. It reiterated that no one can change the votes polled data shared with polling agents of all candidates through Form 17C. Authorized agents receive Form 17C across 543 parliamentary constituencies for each of approximately 10.5 lakh polling stations.
The ECI expressed gratitude for the Supreme Court’s observations and verdict, which reinforce the Commission’s commitment to uphold electoral democracy with unwavering resolve.
The Commission mentioned that issuing press notes is a supplementary measure, while full data remains continuously available on the Voter Turnout App. The ECI has issued 13 press notes on voter turnout for the first five phases. Any alleged delay in issuing press notes for the first phase does not imply that data was unavailable, as it has always been accessible through the app.
The Supreme Court on Friday declined to pass directions on a plea by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) seeking the disclosure of authenticated voter turnout data within 48 hours of polling for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. A bench of Justices Dipankar Dutta and Satish Chandra Sharma refused interim relief, noting the need for a “hands-off” approach during ongoing elections. The bench scheduled further hearings after the summer vacation, clarifying that it has not expressed any opinion on the case merits.
In conclusion, the ECI emphasized its strengthened responsibility to serve electoral democracy and reiterated the continuous availability of voter turnout data through its app, despite any perceived delays in press note issuance.