Voters Data: Supreme Court Refuses to Ask ECI to Publish, ECI Does Anyway

In response to the Indian Supreme Court's (SC) query on why polling data for earlier phases was not published, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on 22 May told the Court there is no legal mandate to publish final authenticated data of voter turnout in all polling stations (SDW Vol. 2 Issue 21, Story 1). Recently elected President of the Supreme Court Bar Council, Kapil Sibal asked, ‘What is the problem with revealing the number of votes cast? How is it a secret affair? This is not a matter of state security. Does this threaten national security?’ There is also the concern that not only percentages but real numbers of voters also declined in at least 115 (27%) constituencies up to the fifth phase of voting. It is unparalleled in India’s electoral history that in such a large number of constituencies, there is a decline in total voters from the previous election held five years ago. On 24 May, the SC declined to push the ECI to publish numbers. ‘We should also keep in mind the ground realities and not overburden the EC during the elections that too by changing the process mid-way,’ said the judgment. However, on 25 May, the ECI on its own released the numbers. Now political parties are checking if the numbers add up. In Panjab, given the scorching heat, BJP chief Sunil Jakhar has requested the ECI to extend voting hours. The Election Commission Panjab has made public a phone number from which voters can in real-time find out the wait at each booth and plan their vote accordingly.