The presidents of the press bodies, namely the Press Club of India, the Indian Women's Press Corps, the Press Association and the Foreign Correspondents' Club, asked the EC to release all data on a phase of polling no longer than one day after voting ends.
Four press bodies have urged the Election Commission (EC) to resume its practice of holding press conferences after each phase of voting and to release all data related to a phase’s polling not longer than one day after polling finishes.
The letter dated Saturday (May 11) was addressed to the chief election commissioner and was signed by the presidents of the Press Club of India, the Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Press Association and the Foreign Correspondents’ Club.
They said they were “dismayed” that the EC hadn’t held a press conference on the general elections yet though three phases were already complete, adding that they were “shocked and surprised” that the commission hadn’t released the absolute number of people who had voted in each phase.
“Till 2019, the last general election, holding a press conference after voting in each phase was the normal practice,” the letter noted, adding that citizens of a democracy such as India had the right to know “what has happened on [voting] day” from the EC.
It also said that press conferences allow journalists to make clarifications and help them “report and write error-free copy for their readers”.
Regarding the absolute number of people who voted in a phase, the letter said the EC’s not releasing this information has “led to apprehension in the minds of people about the fairness of the elections”.
The EC has so far released turnout percentages for the constituencies that have voted so far and their total number of electors, but not the number of people who voted.
It also released final turnout figures for the first phase of elections 11 days after polling concluded and for the second phase four days after voting ended.
The letter demanded that all data on polling during a phase “be released by the next day of the polling”.
“Such transparency is necessary to uphold the voters’ confidence in the electoral system. We hope that you will agree to these demands and act immediately on them,” it concluded by saying.
Others have also expressed concern on the EC taking long to release the data in question. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc asking whether the “delay” reflected an attempt to “doctor” election results.
In an unusual move, the EC responded with a strongly worded letter and said Kharge’s allegations bordered on “vitiating the [EC’s] constitutionally mandated work” and accused him of trying to “spread confusion” on the credibility of the election process.
The Association of Democratic Reforms has also petitioned the Supreme Court on the EC’s alleged delay.
§
To
The Chief Election Commission of India
Nirvachan Sadan
New Delhi
11th May, 2024
We, the undersigned journalist bodies, are dismayed at the Election Commission not holding a single press conference even after the completion of voting in three phases across the nation.
Till 2019, the last general election, holding a press conference after voting in each phase was the normal practice. India, being one of the largest democracies in the world and the general election considered as the “biggest festival of democracy”, the citizens have every right to know what has happened on the voting day, from the constitutional body, the Election Commission of India.
It should be noted that at press conferences, the journalists get their doubts and confusions, if any, cleared which helps them report and write error free copy for their readers. They keep the citizens accurately informed and updated on the ongoing election. The Election Commissioners can also speak directly to voters via electronic media during a press conference.
We are shocked and surprised that the Commission has not been releasing the “absolute number of votes polled” in the last three phases. This was not the case in the past elections. These developments have led to apprehension in the minds of people about the fairness of the elections.
In this context, we demand that the ECI hold a press conference after every phase of voting. Further, we demand that the entire poll data, including absolute number of votes polled and final percentage of voting be released by the next day of the polling. Such transparency is necessary to uphold the voters’ confidence in the electoral system. We hope that you will agree to these demands and act immediately on them.
Yours Sincerely
Gautam Lahiri
(President, Press Club of India)
Sd/-
Parul Sharma (President, Indian Women Press Corp)
C. K. Nayak (President, Press Association)
S. Venkat Narayan (President, Foreign Correspondent Club
