New Delhi: Facing the heat from Opposition parties for making public only the percentage of voter turnout, and that too after a delay, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday hit back at critics by releasing the absolute numbers of votes polled in the first five phases of Lok Sabha election.
Voting in Odisha, to be held in four phases, started from the fourth phase.
Four parliamentary constituencies in Odisha voted on May 13, while five went to polls on May 20. Of the remaining 12 Lok Sabha seats, 6 are voting on Saturday and the other 6 will go to polls on June 1.
As per constituency-wise data released on Saturday, Bolangir saw the maximum voting turnout of 1,396,719 on May 20, while the lowest number was at Kandhamal — 993,091 – on May 20.
Percentage-wise, Nabarangpur has recorded the highest of 82.16% so far, and Aska (62.67%) the lowest thus far.
Constituency-wise voter turnout in the first two phases of Odisha Lok Sabha elections so far:
May 13
* Berhampur – Total votes polled 1,040,924 (65.41%) out of 1,591,380 Elector count.
* Kalahandi – Total votes polled 1,324,936 (77.90%) out of 1,700,780 Elector count.
* Koraput – Total votes polled 1,148,182 (77.53%) out of 1,480,922 Elector count.
* Nabarangpur — Total votes polled 1,243,957 (82.16%) out of 1,514,140 Elector count.
May 20
* Aska — Total votes polled 1,015,883 (62.67%) out of 1,620,974 Elector count.
* Bargarh — Total votes polled 1,302,069 (79.78%) out of 1,631,974 Elector count.
* Bolangir — Total votes polled 1,396,719 (77.52%) out of 1,801,744 Elector count.
* Kandhamal — Total votes polled 993,091 (74.16%) out of 1,339,090 Elector count.
* Sundargarh — Total votes polled 1,150,875 (73.02%) out of 1,576,105 Elector count.
ECI stated in a press note that it has noted the pattern of false narratives and mischievous design to vitiate electoral process.
On Friday, Supreme Court adjourned petitions seeking release of booth-wise voter turnout numbers and copies of Form 17C — which reflects votes polled at each polling station — on ECI’s website within 48 hours of polling,
“The Commission feels duly strengthened by the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s observations and verdict on the process of release of turnout data by the Election Commission of India. This brings upon the Commission, a higher responsibility to serve the cause of electoral democracy with undeterred resolution,” the poll panel said, adding that the “process of collection and storage of votes polled is rigorous, transparent and participative.”
ECI reiterated that nobody can change data of votes polled, shared on poll day with polling agents of all candidates through Form 17C.
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