E-Paper
Assembly elections 2024: What happens on polling day and how are votes counted?
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will conduct elections to the state legislative assemblies of Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will conduct elections to the state legislative assemblies of Maharashtra and Jharkhand. 288 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra will vote in a single-phase election on November 13. Jharkhand will vote in two phases on November 13 and 20, 43 and 38 constituencies respectively.
As a voter, it becomes crucial to understand what happens on voting day and how votes are counted on the day of results.
What happens on voting day?
Polling booths are set up in secure, designated places where voters cast their votes. These places are provided enhanced security by local police forces to maintain law and order. Central paramilitary forces or state special forces are also stationed where polling booths are located in conflict prone, sensitive areas.
Before the start of actual voting, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) are prepared and checked to ensure their smooth functioning. Additional EVMs and VVPATs are also kept to change those units which malfunction.
Read complete coverage of Maharashtra assembly election 2024 here
Each polling booth is managed by a team of presiding officer and other staff members. Observers appointed by the ECI monitor the conduct of elections and ensure compliance with guidelines.
Officials also stay vigilant to prevent any attempts at booth capturing and intimidation of voters. The Moral Code of Conduct (MCC) also remains in effect to prevent political parties from influencing voters in the last minute.
Once voting completes, roughly around 5 pm to 6 pm, the EVMs and VVPATs are sealed and securely transported to storage facilities, where they remain until the counting day. Security personnel are stationed, and CCTV camera coverage is ensured to prevent any unauthorised access to these machines.
What happens on counting day?
Each constituency has a designated counting centre. A three-tier cordoning system is set up in the counting centre to prevent the entry of unauthorized persons inside the counting centre.
The ECI deploys a senior officer as an observer to oversee the counting process at the counting centre. A central government official or a PSU official is also appointed at each counting table. The observer has to ensure that the counting is done strictly in accordance with law and the instructions of the commission.
Read complete coverage of Jharkhand assembly election 2024 here
The Observer has to ensure that the counting agents of candidates are given the opportunity to watch the counting process from close quarters. Barricades are set up for each counting table so that EVMs are not handled by the counting agents. The agents are provided all reasonable facilities to see the whole process at the counting tables.
The official ensures that the results are announced round wise, and the totalling is made error free by doing it manually as well as through a computer.
The Observer has the power to withhold the declaration of result by the Returning Officer (RO) unless he is satisfied that the whole process of counting is free and fair, as well as error free.
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The counting of postal ballots is to be taken up first. After half an hour, the RO should start counting of votes registered in the EVMs. The counting of votes in EVM continue till the penultimate round. The last round of counting in EVM will be done when counting of all postal ballots is complete.
In case of malfunctioning EVMs, that concerned machine is kept aside and counting proceeds in other tables. The EVM with problems is taken up after counting in all EVMs.
The total number of votes recorded in such EVMs may be seen in relation to the margin of votes secured by first and second highest candidate. The matter will be reported to ECI for further instructions. A candidate may ask for a recount by written application to the RO and also mentioning the grounds for such a request.
