Election Commission requests press conference on voting day

Journalists’ organizations have written to the election commission chairman, demanding that he hold a press conference after each stage of voting and release all polling data, including the “absolute number” of votes cast and turnout at each stage, by the next day. did.

In a joint letter, the Press Club of India, the Women’s Press Association of India, the Press Association, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club and the Delhi Journalists Union expressed regret that the Election Commission (EC) did not hold a single press conference even after the voting was completed. expressed his intention. It will be implemented across the country in three stages.

“Until the last general elections in 2019, it was normal practice to hold press conferences after each stage of voting. The people have the right to know what happened on polling day from the Election Commission of India, a constitutional body. ” the letter said.

The magazine said it helped reporters at press conferences clear up any doubts or confusion and write error-free copy for readers, providing accurate information to the public about the ongoing election, and He said he would continue to provide up-to-date information. “Election officials may also speak directly to voters via electronic media during press conferences,” the letter said.

The letter expressed shock and surprise that the EC had not published the “absolute vote count” in the last three phases, saying this had not been the case in past elections. The report said that this development had raised concerns in the minds of the people about the fairness of the elections.

“In this regard, we call on the EC to hold a press conference after each stage of voting. Furthermore, we request that the entire voting data, including the absolute number of votes and final turnout, be published by the day after voting day. “Such transparency is necessary to maintain voter confidence in elections in our electoral system,” the letter states.