New Delhi
Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale criticized the Election Commission on Thursday, accusing it of deliberately concealing the total voter turnout data. This follows the EC’s statement to the Supreme Court, arguing that disclosing station-wise voter turnout data would disrupt the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
Referring to a report highlighting the EC’s explanation to the apex court, Gokhale pointed out discrepancies, citing the ‘Handbook for Returning Officers’ published by the ECI. According to him, the handbook states that the Returning Officer can simply press a button to immediately display the total votes polled, contradicting the EC’s claim of time-consuming processes.
Expressing concern over the EC’s statements, Gokhale questioned the transparency of the electoral process and accused the EC of misleading the Supreme Court. He alleged that the EC’s actions indicate something dubious happening within the electoral framework.
The EC, in response to a plea from an NGO, defended its stance, stating that publicizing Form 17C, which provides polling station-wise voter turnout, could be exploited and lead to electoral malpractice. The EC emphasized the need to prevent tampering with electoral data, rejecting claims of voter turnout discrepancies in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections.
