A vacation bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed the plea filed by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), citing logistical difficulties and the need for a 'hands-off approach' during elections
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to direct the Election Commission (EC) to upload polling station-wise voter turnout data on its website during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. A vacation bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed the plea filed by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), citing logistical difficulties and the need for a "hands-off approach" during elections.
The ADR sought an interim order for the EC to upload "scanned legible copies of Form 17C Part-I (Account of Votes Recorded)" from all polling stations immediately after the polls. Form 17C records detailed voting data, including the number of votes cast, rejected, and accepted, as well as postal ballots.
The EC opposed the plea, arguing that fulfilling the NGO's demand would disrupt the electoral process and create chaos within the poll machinery. The EC emphasised that there is no legal requirement to provide Form 17C to anyone other than the candidates or their agents.
What is Form 17C?
Form 17C, under the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, is critical in recording votes cast at each polling station. It includes details such as the polling station code, the number of voters, and the reasons for vote rejections.
This form ensures the integrity of the voting process by providing a verifiable record of votes, which is checked by the presiding officer and signed by candidates or their representatives.
What is the opposition saying?
Controversy has surrounded the EC's handling of voting data during the elections. The release of voter turnout figures for the first and second phases of polling faced delays of up to ten days, with subsequent phases also experiencing delays. The data for the fifth phase was released three days after voting.
Opposition leaders, including the Congress, have demanded that the EC release voter turnout data within 48 hours of voting to ensure transparency. The Congress party has raised concerns about discrepancies between real-time voting data and final turnout figures.
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