The Supreme Court has requested a response from the Election Commission (EC) regarding a plea urging the timely uploading of voter turnout data on its website within 48 hours of the conclusion of polling.
The apex court granted one week time to ECI to file its response and post the matter for hearing on May 24.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra assembled at 6:30 PM to hear the plea from the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
Chief Justice Chandrachud emphasised providing the EC with a reasonable period to respond to the plea. The case is scheduled for further hearing before an appropriate bench on May 24, the day before the sixth phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing ADR, mentioned the matter earlier in the day, seeking an urgent listing of the petition due to its timely importance.
Last week, ADR filed an interim application as part of its 2019 public interest litigation (PIL). The application seeks directions for the EC to upload scanned and legible copies of Form 17C Part-I (Account of Votes Recorded) from all polling stations immediately after the polls.
The plea aimed to enhance electoral transparency by ensuring prompt and detailed disclosure of voter turnout data, thereby increasing public trust in the electoral process.
The Supreme Court’s request for the EC’s response will determine the commission’s stance on the proposed measures for timely data publication.
As the Supreme Court awaits the Election Commission's response, the plea by ADR highlights ongoing efforts to improve transparency and accountability in India's electoral processes.
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