TMC requests CEC to provide seat-wise voter turnout report for phases 1, 2

The TMC also claimed that the report exhibits notable discrepancies and inconsistencies in the percentages that were initially reported

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday asked the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar to urgently furnish the constituency-wise precise voter turnout figures for phases 1 and 2 along with clarification for the delay in releasing the voter turnout report.

Voting for the general elections is being held in seven phases. (File photo)

In a letter addressed to the CEC, the TMC said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) belatedly released the voter turnout percentages for the first two phases on April 30 adding that the report had no information about the total number of eligible electors and the actual votes cast.

“This is a paradigm shift from the previous voter turnout report(s) from the past election(s), where the ECI provided a detailed report in this regard,” said TMC.

Amid the Opposition’s allegations of delay by the ECI in sharing voter turnout data, the poll body last Friday asserted that “disclosure and transparency are standard practices in the EC’s work and booth-wise data of actual number of votes polled is available with the candidates soon after the voting ends”.

The TMC also claimed that the report exhibits notable discrepancies and inconsistencies in the percentages that were initially reported.

For phase 1, the voter turnout percentage was shown to be 60 on April 19 which later was reported to be 66.14% on April 30.

Furthermore, TMC said that the eleven days of delay in releasing the final voter turnout percentage of Phase 1, coupled with a significant 5.75% surge in participation being reported almost four days after the conclusion of phase 2, without any proper explanation, sparks doubt in the mind of the electorate.

It also said that under Rule 49S of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, the presiding officer shall prepare an account of votes recorded in Form 17C and furnish it to every polling agent in which the actual number of electors, number of people voted, and the total number of votes recorded in EVMs.

The TMC demanded that the ECI publish the total number of registered electors in each seat, the total number of voters physically turned up as per the ‘Register for Voters’, and the number of voters according to the EVM, for all constituencies which had gone to polls in phases 1 and 2.

“The ECI’s failure to address such discrepancies would undermine the public trust in the electoral process,” it added.

Voting for the general elections is being held in seven phases. The third phase voting is underway today.

The remaining are on May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Counting of votes will take place on June 4.