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NEW DELHI: As the Supreme Court refused to direct the Election Commission of India (EC) to release voter turnout of each polling station on its website during Lok Sabha elections, it also said the poll body’s idea to launch voter turnout app was an “aa bail mujhe maar” (Come bull, hit me) move. The Hindi proverb is used for someone asking for trouble.
The remark came during hearing of a plea by an NGO to publish the booth-wise numbers of voter turnout and upload copies of Form 17C (which reflects the votes polled in each polling station) on its website within 48 hours of polling.
On poll body’s voter turnout app which was launched to provide information on the estimated voter turnout for each state at parliamentary and assembly constituency level, the Supreme Court said the EC itself is asking for the trouble.
“I had specifically asked him (EC counsel Maninder Singh) about the voter turnout app and whether there was any statutory requirement to upload data on a real time basis. To which he (Singh) replied that there are no such statutory requirements and ECI is doing so for fairness and transparency,” Justice Datta said.
“That day I did not say anything in open court but today I am willing to say something. It is like ‘aa bail mujhe maar’ (to invite trouble),” he said referring to the criticism the EC is facing over its alleged reluctance to provide the full voter turnout data promptly in public domain.
The bench, however, rejected the plea stating it would be challenging to arrange the necessary manpower at this stage, as five phases of polling have already been completed, with only two remaining.
“We should also keep in mind the ground realities and not overburden the EC during the elections that too by changing the process mid-way,” it said.
(With PTI inputs)
The remark came during hearing of a plea by an NGO to publish the booth-wise numbers of voter turnout and upload copies of Form 17C (which reflects the votes polled in each polling station) on its website within 48 hours of polling.
On poll body’s voter turnout app which was launched to provide information on the estimated voter turnout for each state at parliamentary and assembly constituency level, the Supreme Court said the EC itself is asking for the trouble.
“I had specifically asked him (EC counsel Maninder Singh) about the voter turnout app and whether there was any statutory requirement to upload data on a real time basis. To which he (Singh) replied that there are no such statutory requirements and ECI is doing so for fairness and transparency,” Justice Datta said.
“That day I did not say anything in open court but today I am willing to say something. It is like ‘aa bail mujhe maar’ (to invite trouble),” he said referring to the criticism the EC is facing over its alleged reluctance to provide the full voter turnout data promptly in public domain.
The bench, however, rejected the plea stating it would be challenging to arrange the necessary manpower at this stage, as five phases of polling have already been completed, with only two remaining.
“We should also keep in mind the ground realities and not overburden the EC during the elections that too by changing the process mid-way,” it said.
(With PTI inputs)
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