SM Fasiullah for BeyondHeadlines
Election Commission of India (ECI), a body constitutionally empowered to conduct free and fair elections, could not confirm the information regarding new voter registrations that it published during General Elections in five states in 2012.
The ECI posted new voter registrations figures in a press release on its website last year that contained discrepancy in figures. When an RTI application was filed seeking confirmation of those figures, ECI could not confirm it.
Mr. Sanjeev Gupta sought information under RTI Act on discrepancy in the figures published in that release related to General Elections 2012 in five states – UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Punjab, and Goa.
He sought clarification on various specific figures such as distribution of 1,65,28,891 electoral photo identity cards on National Voters’ Day (NVD) and the cost of new voters’ registration.
In addition, Mr. Gupta requested for confirmation of new voter registration figures up to NVD 2012 in each state – 1.83 crore in UP, 10.25 lakhs in Punjab, 5lakhs in Uttarakhand, 1.71 lakhs in Manipur, and 44,000 in Goa.
After receiving “unsatisfactory” response from the ECI office, Mr. Gupta appealed to the Central Information Commission (CIC), New Delhi for a proper hearing on the case seeking satisfactory information.
Delivered earlier this month, the decision against ECI in a 2nd appeal (file no. CIC/SM/A/2013/900270) acknowledged the presence of discrepancy in the press release.
While instructing the ECI to provide correct figures if available, the CIC directed it to supply information regarding budgetary support if provided to the states for observing NSD in 2012.
The CIO also directed the Central Public Information Officer to revisit this entire case and provide all the information sought by the appellant (Mr. Gupta) within 15 days time.
