SC refuses to order EC to upload booth-wise voter turnout data

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to direct the Election Commission to upload booth-wise voter turnout data on its website during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, responding to a plea from the NGO ‘Association for Democratic Reforms’.

The court favoured a “handsoff attitude” during the ongoing electoral process.

A vacation bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma adjourned the NGO’s application and stated it would be addressed alongside a 2019 writ petition after the elections. The bench emphasised the importance of free and fair elections but expressed concerns about potential misuse by “mischievous people.”

The court remarked: “The arguments on the interim application were heard. Prima facie, we are not inclined to grant any relief at this stage, as the interim application’s request is similar to the writ petition’s final relief. Granting such relief now would effectively resolve the writ petition.”

The court noted that the 2024 elections, conducted over seven phases, were mostly complete with only two phases remaining. The sixth phase was set for May 25. The bench explained that meeting the NGO’s demand would require significant resources and judicial intervention, which was impractical mid-process.