Does EC maintain centralized database of all the constituencies in the country?
8 Apr, 2013Background
The appellant filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act with the Election Commission (EC) of India seeking to know the total number of voters who had been enrolled in more than one constituency. The Public Information Officer (PIO) informed him that the EC did not have any material record containing such data. He also informed that the electoral rolls were prepared Assembly Constituency wise and the EC did not maintain any centralized database of all the electoral rolls of all the constituencies in the country. The PIO advised him to approach the State Chief Election Officers instead.
View of CIC
The Central Information Commission (CIC) observed that the Election Commission (EC) of India did not have the desired information in a compiled form. The CIC held that with progressive computerisation of all such records, it may be possible in future to detect and identify those voters who have multiple registrations across constituencies. The Commission rejected the appeal and advised the appellant to approach the State Chief Election Officers to obtain the data if available with them.
Citation: Mr. Devender Singh Kushwaha v. Election Commission of India in File No. CIC/SM/A/2012/001635
RTI Citation : RTIFI/2013/CIC/1183
Click here to view original RTI order of Court / Information Commission