Verification of votes in at least five voter verifiable paper audit trails (VVPATs) in each Assembly segment coupled with the high number of candidates is likely to delay the declaration of Lok Sabha election results in Maharashtra by at least three hours on Thursday.
As Beed has the highest number of candidates (36) in the state, the result is expected to come last, only past midnight. Gadchiroli, which has only five candidates, could be the first constituency to get its results.
The votes for the state’s 48 constituencies will be counted at 48 centres at 38 locations. In Mumbai, the counting for six constituencies will be held at three locations.
Depending on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and counting tables, the centres will have rounds ranging between 17 and 35. Hatkanangale will have 17 rounds, while the highest number of rounds (35) will be held in Palghar and Bhiwandi constituencies.
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“Counting process depends on various factors, including number of candidates, rounds and electronic voting machines (EVMs) taken for counting at a time. The most deciding of them is the number of the candidates,” said an official from the state poll body, adding the first trend will be clear by noon and the first official result will be out at 4pm.
{{/usCountry}}“Counting process depends on various factors, including number of candidates, rounds and electronic voting machines (EVMs) taken for counting at a time. The most deciding of them is the number of the candidates,” said an official from the state poll body, adding the first trend will be clear by noon and the first official result will be out at 4pm.
{{/usCountry}}“According to the Election Commission guidelines, verification of five VVPATs is mandatory for every Assembly constituency. Verification of slips in each VVPAT with the EVM takes 40 minutes. Although the results for each round will be declared immediately, the announcement will take longer,” said Dilip Shinde, additional chief electoral officer of Maharashtra.
The Election Commission used 98,430 EVMs in the state, with highest (584) in Panvel Assembly constituency and lowest (224) in Wadala.
The EC has also directed its machinery to count VVPAT slips for stations where EVMs failed owing to technical reasons.