Supreme Court order to increase VVPAT verification not expected to delay election results

Election Commission had said a 50% verification of VVPAT slips would’ve caused a 6-day delay, but 5 machines per assembly segment won’t delay results on 23 May.

The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to increase random checkings of VVPAT slips on Monday | PTI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court order directing a five-fold increase in the verification of VVPAT slips in each assembly segment of Lok Sabha constituencies will not cause any considerable delay in the counting process, sources in the Election Commission of India have told ThePrint.

The election results will still be announced on the appointed day, 23 May.

“The commission had said that a six-day delay would be caused if there is 50 per cent verification of VVPAT slips…50 per cent meant over five lakh EVMs,” a source said on the condition of anonymity.

“That would have meant a major drain on EC resources as well as time. But the court has ordered for verification of five EVMs per constituency, which will come out to 20,625 EVMs. That shouldn’t cause much delay, maybe a few hours. But the counting and results will be concluded on the same day.”

The EC had earlier vehemently opposed increasing the random checking of VVPAT slips earlier, but it is now working towards implementing the SC order with immediate effect, sources said.

The EC will not need to deploy any more staff for the increased verification, since the increase is not “too much”, a source said.

What Supreme Court ordered

The Supreme Court Monday ordered an increase in verification of VVPAT slips to five EVMs per assembly segment in each Lok Sabha constituency from the current practice of one per assembly segment.

The top court was hearing a petition filed by 21 opposition parties, which had demanded that 50 per cent of EVMs be tallied with VVPAT slips in order to ensure transparency and increase voter confidence.

The court was of the view that the opposition’s idea would be “a drain on the EC’s infrastructural resources and manpower”.

EC’s opposition

Asked about the proposed increase in the verification, the EC had sought the view of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in the matter. The ISI had told the EC that the opposition demand was not statistically sound, and that the EC’s formula of verifying VVPAT slips in one polling booth in each constituency was already more than required.

In its report submitted to the EC, which was subsequently presented in the Supreme Court as well, the ISI argued that for statistical accuracy, physical verification in 472 EVMs out of the total of 10.35 lakh machines across the country was sufficient.

“The Supreme Court order does not add value statistically,” said Rajeev Karandikar, who was part of the three-member ISI committee which gave its report to the EC.

“But the court believes it would lead to greater satisfaction for the electorate, so it has decided so. According to us, even the EC practice of verification of 4,125 EVMs was overkill.”