SHWETA KAMAT
PANJIM: On May 23, the wait for the results is going to be long. The results of two Lok Sabha seats and four Assembly by-elections are expected to be delayed by over two or three hours as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has increased voter verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) count to five instead of one in every assembly segment, following directions from the Supreme Court.
The VVPAT system, with Goa being the first State to use during its State Legislative Assembly elections 2017, enables Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to record each vote by generating a slip. In an attempt to bring more transparency in the counting process, ECI has directed Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) to also tally VVPAT slips along with votes in EVMs.
“VVPAT counting will be done as per ECI guidelines. We have to pick random VVPAT paper slips of five EVMs in every Assembly constituency. And this will take time thus delaying the results,” CEO Kunal told Herald.
He said that since such a process is being taken up for the first time, emphasis is put on proper training and faster counting. “Training and orientation programmes are being held for the officers on counting duty,” he said.
Kunal said that political parties and the candidates have been informed about the process and necessary training also provided.
On April 8, this year, the Supreme Court had directed ECI to tally the VVPAT slips of at least five EVMs in each Assembly segment. While issuing the order, the Supreme Court said that such a practice will ensure “greatest degree of accuracy, satisfaction” in the election process. Earlier, ECI used to count VVPAT slips of just one EVM in every Assembly Constituency.
Goa has 40 assembly constituencies with 1652 polling stations. As such total 1652 VVPATs were used this election.
Goa had elections for North and South Goa Lok Sabha constituency along with by-elections in Mandrem, Shiroda and Mapusa assembly segment on April 23, while by-polls in Panjim on May 19.
