Make this your homepage
Tripura News
Home > Tripura News
EC detects ‘Human Errors’ in Control Unit data, Prescribes strict rules to CEOs : VVPAT slips counting guideline outlined
TIWN May 21, 2019
EC detects ‘Human Errors’ in Control Unit data, Prescribes strict rules to CEOs : VVPAT slips counting guideline outlined
PHOTO : Election Commissioner of India office. File Photo.

AGARTALA / NEW DELHI, May 21 (TIWN): In a shocking development, multiple human error was found in mock-poll data deletion and thus Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed all CEO of States and Union Territories how to go with the total counting procedure. In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officers ECI Under Secretary Madhusudhan Gupta has written, “In continuation of the existing instructions regarding counting of VVPAT slips I am directed to state that during past and ongoing General Elections to Lok Sabha and simultaneous elections to State Legislative Assemblies of Andra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim, 2019 there have been some instances of human errors in properly deleting the mock poll data from Control Units and Removal of mock poll slips from the VVPAT at some polling stations. In some cases, Presiding Officers either failed to delete the data from the Control Unit or failed to remove the VVPAT paper slips pertaining to mock poll from the drop box of the VVPAT. The Commission has considered the matter and directed that the following procedure shall be adopted during counting in all such cases”.

EC has instructed ---- In all pre-identified cases on Poll day (during scrutiny of documents) where mock poll is not erased from the control unit of VVPAT paper slips pertaining to mock poll not removed (fully or partially) the concerned Control Units should be kept aside during counting of votes i.e. these polling stations will not be taken up for counting during the regular round wise counting of the control units. The table allocated to such polling stations shall be kept vacant during the relevant round of counting. The list of all pre-identified polling stations will be identified with the contesting candidates before the commencement of process of counting”.

The EC then ordered that during the rounwise counting of EVMs if there is any case in which the total votes polled in the CU does not match the record of votes in Form 17-C it is an indication of Close Result Clear (CRC) protocol after mock poll was not properly done in respect of this polling station during the actual poll. In such cases CU shall be kept aside that is those polling stations will not be taken up for any counting. The table allocated to such polling stations shall be kept vacant during the relevant during that particular round. The exact details and reason for the scenario will be described by the RO / ARO to the contesting candidates/ election agents/ counting agents present in the counting hall.

In such cases the corresponding VVPATs shall be counted for these polling stations after completing all counting rounds of control unit counting rounds with CUs.

EC has also directed what have to do after completing all regular rounds of control units :

  1. For all Polling Stations where all EVM and VVPAT are kept due to such mentioned errors, the counting of VVPAT slips only will be done and the control units shall be discarded for counting purpose (Means, Control Units will not be used for counting votes),
  2. Even in case where VVPAT slips pertaining mock poll, still the VVPAT slips will be counted.and the candidate wise votes from mock-poll certificates shall be deducted to arrive as control count of candidate wise votes.
  3. The VVPAT slip count result of all these polling stations shall be added to candidatewise tally and the final result compiled,

Since in the aforesaid cases , the control units (CU) will not be used for counting of votes, these polling stations will be excluded from the random selection (5) polling stations for mandator verification of VVPAT paper slips.

In case of any mismatch between electronic candidate wise results of the Control Unit and the candidate wise VVPAT manual count, recounting the VVPAT slips of that particular VVPAT shall be conducted till the recount is tallied with EVM count or one of the previous VVPAT count. However in such cases before taking up the recount, VVPAT slips pertaining to the candidates whose result of CU count and VVPAT count is not tallying, counting supervisor shall re-check the election symbols of each VVPAT slips carefully of each bundle one by one and ensure that all bundles contain the VVPAT slip of the candidate concern only.

If doing all the exercises, if the tally doesn’t match that VVPAT slips will be primary for the counting as per rule 56(D)(4)(B)of the conduct election rule 1961.

EC also ordered to double check the serious numbers of the EVMs and should be counterchecked and if VVPAT failed to match the tally, then the issue must be taken to the Election Commission of India. 

Add your Comment
Comments (0)

Special Articles

Sanjay Majumder Sanjay Majumder
Anirban Mitra Anirban Mitra