South Central South Central 40 | Election Commission's Credibility Crisis & The Nun Who Took Bishop Franco to Court
Aug 22, 2025
Supriya Sharma, Executive Editor of Scroll and investigative journalist, discusses the Election Commission's credibility crisis, detailing allegations of mishandled voter registration and public trust erosion. Nidhi Suresh, a journalist known for her sensitive storytelling, shares insights into the emotional trial of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, the first of its kind in India, focusing on the nun who bravely accused him. Together, they explore pressing electoral issues and the fight for justice within the church, shedding light on broader societal impacts.
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Surface Data Can Mislead On Religion
- Initial constituency-level data suggested Muslim-heavy areas saw high exclusions, but further analysis showed Hindus were often overrepresented among exclusions.
- Misleading surface patterns make ground verification essential.
Voters Wrongly Declared Dead Appeared In Court
- Journalists found voters recorded as dead who then appeared in person, like Mintu Paswan who went to the CEO office and the Supreme Court.
- Such cases underline serious errors in the roll update process.
Force EC To Take Complaints And Publish Usable Data
- The Election Commission should accept direct complaints rather than forcing excluded voters to refile as new voters (Form 6).
- Provide machine-readable, booth-wise data and a clear, accessible redress process to restore trust.
