Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of deliberately withholding crucial voter data by refusing to upload Form 17C, which records the number of votes polled at each polling booth. Kejriwal, who recently stepped down as Delhi’s Chief Minister, claimed that despite repeated requests, the EC has failed to make this information publicly available on its official website.
Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Kejriwal announced that in response to the EC’s refusal, AAP has launched a dedicated website to ensure that the voting data is accessible to the public. He emphasized that the party is committed to "electoral transparency" and that citizens have the right to know how votes were cast in each polling station.
Form 17C is an official document signed by the presiding officer and polling agents at every booth. It serves as a critical safeguard in the electoral process, ensuring that the votes counted align with those cast. The refusal to publish this data, Kejriwal argued, undermines the credibility of the election process and raises suspicions about potential discrepancies in vote counting.
"Through the day, we will present the data of every assembly and every booth in a tabulated format so that every voter can access this information. This is something that the Election Commission should have done in the interest of transparency, but it is unfortunate that they are refusing to do it," Kejriwal stated.
This controversy comes just a day before the crucial vote counting for the Delhi Assembly elections, which will decide whether AAP secures a fourth consecutive term or if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will return to power in the national capital after 27 years. The stakes are particularly high given that the political climate in Delhi has been tense, with multiple allegations of electoral malpractice, accusations of voter suppression, and claims of irregularities in voter lists surfacing throughout the campaign.
While AAP has positioned itself as a champion of electoral integrity and fair elections, the Election Commission has so far not officially responded to Kejriwal’s allegations. However, political analysts note that the ECI traditionally does not upload Form 17C on its website and that political parties are expected to collect copies of these documents directly from polling stations.
The timing of Kejriwal’s accusation has raised eyebrows, as it comes amid growing speculation that AAP may face a tough challenge from the BJP. Exit polls have predicted a significant gain for the BJP, with some surveys even indicating a possible electoral upset for Kejriwal’s party. The BJP, which has been aggressively campaigning on issues of governance, corruption allegations against AAP leaders, and law and order concerns in Delhi, has dismissed Kejriwal’s allegations as an excuse to cover up an impending defeat.
BJP leaders also pointed out that AAP has been raising questions about EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) and the electoral process every time it faces a tough fight. They accused Kejriwal of trying to build a narrative of electoral fraud as a preemptive measure to justify a potential loss in the Delhi polls.
On the other hand, AAP has vowed to continue its fight for transparency, claiming that if the Election Commission has nothing to hide, it should have no reason to withhold Form 17C data from the public. Senior AAP leaders, including Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi, have demanded that the ECI take immediate steps to release the voter turnout details for every booth to clear any doubts.
As the final countdown to the election results begins, all eyes will be on the Election Commission’s response, if any, to AAP’s demands. The unfolding situation is expected to further polarize the political discourse in Delhi, with both AAP and BJP sharpening their attacks ahead of the crucial vote count.
With exit polls suggesting a possible BJP surge, the final results on counting day will be critical in determining not just the fate of Kejriwal’s party, but also the political landscape of Delhi for the next five years.
