Petition to the ECI on improving and the Quality & Timing of Poll data

[Sukla Sen]

Please sign the petition by clicking on this link:

<https://forms.gle/tUZW5HJJFk5hienH9>

Petition to the ECI on improving and the Quality & Timing of Poll data

May 1, 2024 

Hon. Chief Election

Commissioners of India

New Delhi

India

c...@eci.gov.in

Subject: Release of Phase 1 and

2 Polling Data 

Honorable Election

Commissioners

We, the citizens of India, have

serious concerns on the Poll data released thus far. 

Please reflect on the following

points:

1.    

Phase 1 polling happened

on 19 April 2024. Phase 2 polling happened on 26 April, 2024

2.    

You released Phase 1 &

Phase 2 polling data on 30 April, eleven days after Phase 1 and four days after

Phase 2  ( https://www.eci.gov.in/eci-backend/public/api/download?url=LMAhAK6sOPBp%2FNFF0iRfXbEB1EVSLT41NNLRjYNJJP1KivrUxbfqkDatmHy12e%2Fzye%2BFD1PRcKxhOuiYZ2Ra30zsZVuncZbKMyY%2FE405%2FpvqQ7hKxk3RS943b6G9oZXTCSv%2B1yJkuMeCkTzY9fhBvw%3D%3D ) Why has this taken so long? 

3.    

The data is released in

Percentage terms and not actual whole numbers of “registered voters” and

“actual votes polled” by each territory. Why is this not shared? 

4.    

On April 19, the ECI, at 7

pm, announced, voter turnout as approximately 60% for Phase 1. (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GMYzPQ2XIAAJwmE?format=jpg&name=medium ). According to the poll data released on April 30 by ECI,

Phase 1 turnout was 66.14%. This is a variation of 6.14 percentage points. Or

in actual percentage terms, it’s a variation of 10.23%. What is the credible

explanation for such a huge variation?

5.    

Similarly on April 26, at

7 pm, the ECI announced a polling percentage of 60.96% for Phase 2. (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GMYzPQ2XIAAJwmE?format=jpg&name=medium ). According to the poll data released on April 30 by ECI,

Phase 2 turnout was 66.71%. This is a variation of 5.75 percentage points. Or

in actual percentage terms, it’s a variation of 9.43%. What is the credible

explanation for such a huge variation? 

ECI is an autonomous

constitutional body, which answers only to the Constitution of India, or in

other words it’s People. It has only one mandate. To administer the conduct of

free and fair elections in the country – elections that are not only free and

fair but SEEN to be free and fair. 

We would urge you to:

1.    

Release absolute numbers

of registered voters and votes polled, territory wise, for Phase 1 and 2,

immediately, with credible explanations for the variations between current

percentages and the “approximate” ones released on the respective polling dates.

2.    

Ensure release of actual

whole number data, both at the end of the polling day, and, within 48 hours of

each phase, with credible explanations for variations between the two sets of

numbers.

Looking forward to the ECI upholding

its constitutional values, and ensuring fairness and transparency for the

People of India,

Concerned Citizens of India