Following complaints by Congress, TMC and CPM to EC alleging unusual delay in release of final voter turnout figures for phase-I and II of ongoing elections, an NGO has moved the SC seeking a direction to EC to publish in its website authenticated constituency-wise voting percentage after each phase of polling.

NGO ‘Association for Democratic Reforms’ (ADR), whose plea for either return to paper ballot or 100% matching of VVPAT with votes cast on EVMs was recently rejected by the SC, through Prashant Bhushan said voter turnout data for April 19 was published on April 30 and that of second phase of polling on April 26 was published on April 30, after a delay of 11 and 4 days respectively.

ADR said, “The data as published by EC in its press release dated April 30 shows a sharp increase (by about 5-6%) as compared to the initial percentages announced by EC as of 7 pm on the day of polling. Inordinate delay in release of final voter turnout data, coupled with the unusually high revision (of over 5%) in the EC’s press note of April 30, and the absence of disaggregated constituency and polling station figures in absolute numbers, has raised concerns and public suspicion regarding the correctness of the said data.”