Petition supported by over 4,000 individuals urges immediate disclosure of certified records
NEW DELHI– A delegation of concerned citizens, comprising Anjali Bhardwaj, Ashok Sharma, Shabnam Hashmi, Navsharan Singh, and Amrita Johri, convened at the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday to submit a memorandum urging transparency in the electoral process. Their petition supported by more than 4,000 individuals, called for the verification and disclosure of voter turnout data contained in Part I of Form 17C.
In their memorandum, the concerned citizens highlighted discrepancies in the voter turnout figures provided by the ECI for the first three phases of elections. They expressed concern over the significant revisions made to the turnout percentages without adequate explanation, undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
Their petition said, “The inordinate delay in releasing the voter turnout percentage along with unusually high revision (about 6%) without any explanation in the ECI press note dated April 30 has raised concerns and doubts among the people about the turnout figures. Public confidence in the electoral process is vital to ensuring the strong functioning of our democracy.”
The  delegation urged the ECI to promptly upload scanned copies of Part I of Form 17C for each polling station where voting took place in the first three phases. They further demanded that similar information for the remaining phases be made publicly available on the ECI website within 48 hours of voting completion. The petition called  for the publication of a comprehensive voter turnout dataset, both constituency and polling station-wise, on the ECI website.
Notably, the ECI has not released full voter turnout figures for any of the four phases of the election where voting has concluded, adding to the urgency of the citizens’ demands for transparency.
The petition, spearheaded by activists, lawyers, information commissioners, and retired civil servants, has garnered support from prominent figures including Anjali Bhardwaj, Prashant Bhushan, Najeeb Jung, and Teesta Setalvad, among others. The full petition, along with signatures, is publicly accessible for scrutiny.
As citizens continue to advocate for greater transparency and accountability in the electoral process, the memorandum submitted to the ECI represents a significant step towards ensuring the integrity of India’s democratic institutions.