The Election Commission Hasn’t Held a Press Conference

It Raises Concerns About the Fairness of the Electoral Process

Newsreel Asia Insight #220
May 13, 2024

The Election Commission (EC) has been reluctant to hold press conferences following the completion of voting in three phases across the nation, point out various journalist bodies, saying the absence of such conferences deprives the citizens of India, one of the largest democracies globally, of essential information regarding voting day proceedings.

It has been a customary practice, until the 2019 general election, for the Election Commission to hold a press conference after each phase of voting, says the letter by the journalist bodies, including the Press Club of India, Indian Women Press Corp, Press Association, Foreign Correspondent Club and the Delhi Union of Journalists.

Citizens have a fundamental right to know from the constitutional body responsible, the Election Commission of India, the letter states.

Several cases have surfaced recently, prompting significant concerns.

Two weeks before the third phase of the election, Al Jazeera reported that the Election Commission declared a seat in Surat city, Gujarat, in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The decision came after the disqualification of the Congress party candidate and five others. Subsequently, the remaining eight candidates withdrew.

In Indore city, the election is set for May 13, but the Congress candidate, Akshay Kanti Bam, withdrew his nomination on April 29—the last day to do so—after the nomination filing deadline had passed, according to Al Jazeera. The action effectively prevents Congress from challenging the incumbent BJP member of parliament, Shankar Lalwani, who is also the party’s nominee. On the eve of the election, Bam resigned from Congress and joined the BJP, citing lack of support from his party in his campaign efforts.

Further, the Samajwadi Party has raised concerns that Muslim women were prevented from using their Aadhaar card identification at a voting booth in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, according to Zee News.

In Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh, there were allegations from Muslims that on polling day, police raided voting booths, confiscated IDs and assaulted voters, as reported by Scroll.in. These incidents reportedly occurred in villages with a Muslim majority that had predominantly supported the Samajwadi Party in the 2022 Assembly elections.

These incidents are just a few of the many troubling reports that have come to light.

The press conferences provide clarity and resolve doubts for reporters, enabling them to produce accurate and error-free coverage for their readers, the letter adds. Further, the letter points out that such press conferences offer an opportunity for Election Commissioners to directly address voters via electronic media, promoting transparency and trust in the electoral process.

The letter expresses shock and surprise at the Election Commission’s failure to release the “absolute number of votes polled” in the last three phases, a departure from past election practices. This omission, the journalists argue, has raised concerns among the public about the fairness of the electoral process.

In light of these developments, the journalist bodies have made specific demands to the Election Commission.

Firstly, they demand that the EC resume the practice of holding press conferences after every phase of voting. Secondly, they insist that the Election Commission release the entire poll data, including the absolute number of votes polled and the final percentage of voting, by the following day of polling. The letter stresses that such transparency is essential for upholding voters’ confidence in the electoral system.

Press conferences provide an opportunity for the media to scrutinise the conduct of elections and hold the Election Commission accountable for its actions. Journalists can raise questions, seek clarifications and report on any discrepancies or concerns observed during the voting process. Without regular press conferences, the media may face challenges in fulfilling its watchdog role, potentially allowing for unchecked electoral malpractice or manipulation to occur.

Without press conferences, there is a risk of perceived opacity and lack of accountability, which could undermine public trust in the electoral system.