New Delhi, Jan 7 (PTI) Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar Tuesday rejected allegations of spurt in voter turnout figure near the end of polling hours, saying the system is fool-proof and dubbed claims of sudden increase as “misconceived narratives”.
He also asserted that no country in the world can give out exact turnout figures soon after voting concludes.
He explained that sector magistrates gather voting data on regular basis throughout the day in an environment where EVMs are unconnected.
If EVMs are connected to Internet, data can be available faster but it would lead to allegations that machines have been compromised or hacked, Kumar said.
Addressing a press conference here to announce Delhi poll schedule, he said exact voter turnout is available to all the candidates on a polling station-wise basis through Form 17-C and the data made available to public is updated as and when polling parties return after concluding voting and depositing machines at collection centres.
He said once Form 17-C is given to candidates or their agents, figures cannot be changed.
In the recent past, several opposition parties and transparency activists have alleged sudden spurt in voter turnout between 5.00 PM and 11.00 PM.
He said the time taken to update data is a “very very procedural, in-built gap. It will always remain. Nothing wrong in it”.
The allegations of sudden jump in turnout figures were made during the Lok Sabha elections held last year and the recent Maharashtra assembly polls. PTI NAB ZMN
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