SC Denies NGO’s Plea to Direct EC on Voter Turnout Data

The Supreme Court, in a recent decision, refused an NGO’s request to issue directions to the Election Commission regarding the uploading of polling station-wise voter turnout data during the Lok Sabha polls. Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma stated that it would be challenging for the poll panel to allocate resources for this task, particularly with five phases of polling already completed and two remaining.

The court adjourned the matter to be listed before a regular bench after the elections, highlighting similarities between the recent plea and a main petition pending since 2019. Despite the ADR’s interim application seeking prompt uploading of voting data, the court indicated that granting relief at this stage would essentially address issues already raised in the ongoing petition.