Featured picture Courtesy Shutterstock (L), (R); For representational functions solely
Elon Musk not too long ago praised India’s swift and environment friendly election course of, marvelling at our nation’s capability to rely over 640 million votes in simply someday. Right here’s a breakdown of how this unimaginable vote-counting course of unfolds in India:
1. Counting of postal ballots
The method begins with the counting of postal ballots, as mandated by the Supreme Courtroom of India. This modification was carried out after irregularities in the course of the 2019 elections, the place improper procedures in some constituencies led to disputes in carefully contested areas. Postal ballots are sometimes solid by service voters — corresponding to members of the armed forces and authorities staff posted overseas — and different eligible voters unable to vote in person.
2. Safe transportation to counting centres
After polling day, Digital Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Path (VVPAT) items are securely transported to designated counting centres throughout the nation. These machines are saved in sealed strongrooms below tight safety till counting day.
3. Unsealing of EVMs
On counting day, the strongrooms housing the EVMs are unsealed within the presence of representatives from all political events and the Returning Officer (RO), making certain transparency. The counting begins with the unsealing of the EVMs, adhering to strict protocols to take care of equity.
4. Counting in rounds
Counting takes place in a single giant corridor outfitted with 14 tables, every assigned to a particular constituency. In each spherical, votes solid in 14 EVMs are counted — one EVM per desk. As soon as the votes are tallied, the outcomes for that spherical are instantly displayed and recorded on a blackboard connected to every desk.
This method ensures full transparency and permits representatives to confirm the ends in real-time. Subsequent rounds solely start after the outcomes of the earlier spherical are confirmed. The RO supervises your complete course of, making certain that it’s carried out systematically and in compliance with election protocols.
5. VVPAT verification
To boost transparency, the Election Fee of India (ECI) mandates that 5 randomly chosen EVMs per constituency bear VVPAT verification. Throughout this course of, the VVPAT system generates a paper slip for every vote solid, which may be cross-checked with the digital outcomes from the EVM. If discrepancies come up, the paper slips are thought of ultimate. This step ensures the accuracy and integrity of the voting system.
6. Consolidation of outcomes
As soon as all rounds of counting are full, the outcomes from all counting tables are consolidated. The RO then declares the ultimate end result for every constituency, together with the full variety of votes acquired by every candidate. These outcomes are totally checked for any discrepancies or anomalies.
7. Submission of outcomes
After the ultimate tally, the outcomes are despatched to the ECI for official data. This step ensures the official compilation and validation of the election information. The ECI oversees the verification of all outcomes and ensures that each one data are securely archived for future reference.
8. Sealing of EVMs and VVPATs
As soon as the outcomes are declared, the EVMs and VVPAT items are resealed and saved securely on the counting centres. These machines are retained for potential future verification or recounting and may be inspected if vital. This ensures the potential of a clear recount course of ought to any considerations come up later.
9. Official declaration of outcomes
The ultimate outcomes, together with the full variety of votes every candidate has acquired, are formally declared by the RO. The ECI then compiles these outcomes from all constituencies and declares them to the general public, sometimes by night, as soon as the counting and validation processes are full.
Edited by Khushi Arora
