New Delhi, February 7, 2025 – Hours after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of not making polling station-wise voting data public, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi released the booth-wise voting details for all assembly constituencies.
Kejriwal Accuses ECI of Lack of Transparency
Earlier on Friday, Kejriwal criticized the poll body for allegedly withholding Form 17C, which contains details of votes polled at each polling booth. The former Delhi Chief Minister announced that AAP had taken matters into its own hands by creating a website where the party uploaded Form 17C data from all polling booths.
“EC has refused to upload Form 17C and the number of votes polled per booth in each assembly despite several requests,” Kejriwal posted on X (formerly Twitter). “AAP has made a website where we have uploaded all the Form 17C documents of every assembly. This form has all the details of votes polled in each booth. Throughout 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.”
He further alleged that the ECI’s reluctance to release this information compromised election transparency. “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 so,” he added.
Election Commission Responds
Following Kejriwal’s allegations, the CEO of Delhi defended the poll body’s procedures, asserting that all electoral rules had been followed.
“As per Rule 49S of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, all Presiding Officers had furnished the account of votes recorded in Form 17C to every polling agent present at the polling station on the day of the poll, February 5, 2025. The rule has been complied with in letter and spirit at every polling station in the ongoing Delhi Legislative Assembly Elections 2025,” the CEO of Delhi stated in response on X.
ECI Releases Booth-Wise Data
Later in the evening, the Election Commission of India officially released the booth-wise voting data for all assembly constituencies, seemingly in response to mounting pressure from AAP.
According to the data released, Delhi recorded a voter turnout of 60.54% in the assembly elections. The release of polling station-wise data is expected to provide clarity and counter allegations of irregularities.
The Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 have seen intense political battles, with AAP, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Indian National Congress (INC) vying for control of the capital. The vote count is scheduled for February 8, 2025, and the results will determine whether Kejriwal’s AAP retains power for another term.
