VVPAT verification done but Oppn ups ante over EVMs

The ECI said it was mandatory for the agency to conduct VVPAT verification, and this was done during the counting procedure, in front of the counting observer or representatives of candidates

MUMBAI: Amid large-scale protests by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which has alleged manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the recent assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has said the mandatory a VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) slip count in five randomly selected polling stations in each assembly constituency had been conducted on November 23, and the outcome matched the results delivered by the EVMs.

VVPAT verification done but Oppn ups ante over EVMs

The ECI said it was mandatory for the agency to conduct VVPAT verification, and this was done during the counting procedure, in front of the counting observer or representatives of candidates. It said a slip count was taken for 1,440 VVPAT units in the 288 assembly constituencies in the state, and was tallied with control unit data of the EVMs. The ECI underlined that it found no discrepancy in reports received from the district election officers concerned, according to the office of the state chief electoral officer.

However, this has not satisfied the MVVA coalition, which has mounted protests against alleged manipulation of the election results due to EVMs. The coalition – of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) – has presented its own set of demands.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vinayak Raut said, “The ECI clarification is not acceptable to us.’’ Clyde Crasto, spokesperson of the NCP (SP) remarked, “The EC must give a demonstration of all the machines. The ECI is answerable to voters. Everyone must be shown the process. Transparency is key.”

State Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe said the ECI should release CCTV footage of all the polling stations, to explain the surge in 76 lakh votes cast after polling officially ended. “The ECI has not explained this. Also, if they maintain that the elections have been conducted in a free and fair manner, why aren’t they allowing a mock re-poll in Markadwadi? People will lose confidence in the election process.’’

Londhe was referring to Markadwadi village in Solapur district, where the entire village is demanding a mock re-election by paper ballot as they cast doubts on the credibility of EVMs. The mock re-poll, backed by the MVA, was shut down by the police before it even began on December 3.

Another method to check the authenticity of EVMs is to use ‘burnt-chip verification, which is permitted by the ECI. Accordingly, 104 candidates have applied for verification in 95 assembly constituencies, including 10 assembly segments in Mumbai and 10 in Thane district.

However, there is a mandatory waiting period of 45 days after the election, before the verification can be undertaken. If there is no election petition, Bharat Electronics Limited, which has manufactured the EVMs, will provide a schedule for the verification, said a senior officer in the office of the state chief electoral officer.