Jammu and Kashmir is seeing polls for the first time in 10 years since Article 370 was abrogated and it lost its statehood to become a Union Territory. Polling is taking place across three phases with the first phase of voting having taken place on September 18. Phase 2 is on September 25 and Phase 3 on October 5. Results will be declared on October 8.
What happens on counting day?
EVMs are brought out of the strong room on counting day. This occurs in the presence of the returning officers and EC Special Observers along with candidates or their representatives. This entire process is filmed.
The control units of the EVMs are brought to counting tables under CCTV surveillance. The unique ID number of each CU and the signed seal are verified and shown to the polling agent of the candidates before being taken out.
A button is then pressed on the unit after which it displays the vote each candidate secured, next to their names, on the EVM. These numbers get recorded in the results sheet.
The Returning Officer in the presence of the General Observer and party candidates or their representatives conducts a 'draw of lots' to randomly select a VVPAT machine for counting paper slips. The counting takes place inside a secure VVPAT counting booth which has a camera inside the counting hall and only occurs after the last round of counting EVM votes in a constituency.
If there is a mismatch between the VVPAT and EVM numbers then paper slips are recounted. If the discrepancy persists, the VVPAT number takes precedence over the EVM numbers and result sheets are amended to reflect the same. Opposition parties can call for a count of all VVPAT machines in a constituency in case of such occurrences.
Published 19 September 2024, 11:02 IST