5 Journalist Bodies Demand Press Conference by Election Commission after Every Phase, Release Absolute Polling Data Next Day

Moneylife Digital Team 13 May 2024

Expressing dismay over the election commission of India (ECI/Commission) not holding a single press conference even after the completion of voting for the three phases of the general election, five journalist bodies, including the Press Club of India (PCI), have demanded that ECI hold a press conference after voting in each phase and release the entire poll data the next day.

In a letter to the chief election commissioner, the journalist bodies, including PCI, Indian Women Press Corp, Press Association, Foreign Correspondent Club and Delhi Union of Journalists, made two demands to ECI — hold a press conference after voting in each phase and release entire poll data, including 'absolute number' of votes polled in each phase and percentage of voting by the next day.

"We are shocked and surprised that the Commission has not released the 'absolute number of votes polled' in the last three phases. This was not the case in the past elections. These developments have led to apprehension in the minds of people about the fairness of the elections," the letter says.

According to the journalist bodies, utill 2019, the previous Lok Sabha election, holding a press conference after voting in each phase was the regular practice. "India, being one of the largest democracies in the world, and the general election considered as the 'biggest festival of democracy', the citizens have every right to know what has happened on the voting day, from the constitutional body, the ECI."

"It should be noted that at press conferences, the journalists get their doubts and confusion, if any, cleared, which helps them report and write error-free copy for their readers. They keep the citizens accurately informed and updated on the ongoing election. The election commissioners can also speak directly to voters via electronic media during a press conference," it added.

In this context, the journalist bodies say, "We demand the ECI hold a press conference after every phase of voting. Further, we demand that the entire poll data, including the absolute number of votes polled and the final percentage of voting, be released by the next day of the polling. Such transparency is necessary to uphold the voters' confidence in the electoral system."

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