ECI agrees to meet petitioners for voter turnout disclosure

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has agreed to meet with petitioners who are asking for the quick release of verified voter turnout records. The decision came after the Supreme Court postponed a hearing on the issue. The Supreme Court, including Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, noted that Gyanesh Kumar, the new Chief Election Commissioner, is willing to discuss the matter. The petitioners, which include Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), want ECI to publish Form 17C. This important document shows the votes cast at each polling station. During the court hearing, ECI's lawyer told the judges that the new CEC is open to dialogue with the petitioners. Moitra’s lawyer claimed ECI has previously said that releasing Form 17C is "neither desirable nor required," suggesting they may be trying to hide important voter turnout data. ADR's lawyer emphasized the need for transparency, raising concerns about inconsistencies between the votes recorded and the data from Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The court allowed the petitioners to submit their feedback within two weeks and attend a meeting with ECI. The next court hearing is scheduled for July. This issue was previously discussed in May 2024, during the Lok Sabha elections, but the court chose not to intervene at that time. ECI has faced criticism for delays in releasing final voter turnout data, while it defends its actions by citing logistic issues and risks of misinformation. It states that Form 17C is not made publicly available immediately after polling due to these concerns.