The Election Commission of India (ECI) indicated to the Supreme Court that the Lok Sabha poll results could be delayed by five to six days if the opposition parties’ demand to increase VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) slips counting by 50% became a reality. It further added that implementing the demand of the 21 parties will require additional trained personnel and adequate space.
“The 50% Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail slip verification in each Assembly segment of a Parliamentary Constituency or Assembly Constituency on an average shall enlarge the time required for counting to about six days,” the ECI said in a 50-page affidavit.
The current confidence level in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)-VVPAT accuracy was 99.9936%. Any increase in the sample size of verification of VVPAT slips would only lead to a “very negligible gain in the confidence level,” it said.
Earlier in the week, the court had directed the poll panel to consider increasing the counting sample of the voting slips as a measure of “satisfaction”. It was not happy with the current system by which VVPAT slips from one polling station, picked randomly in each assembly segment of a parliamentary constituency, are counted.
The EC’s response will be considered on Monday by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.
