Following the Supreme Court’s orders directing that the machines should be sealed and secured in a container and stored in a strongroom along with the EVMs for at least 45 days post the declaration of results, the Election Commission has issued a new protocol for handling and storing symbol loading units.
In a statement on Wednesday, the poll authority announced that it has directed all state chief electoral officers to create the necessary infrastructure and provisions to implement the new protocols for handling and storing the symbol loading units (SLUs).
Election Commission Talks About The Supreme Court’s Order
“The Supreme Court mandated that the revised protocols apply to all cases in which the symbol loading process in the VVPATs is completed on or after May 1, 2024. The Commission stated this.”
On Friday last, the top court issued directions to seal and store symbol loading units and also allowed for the verification of micro-controllers embedded in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) upon request by the candidates who stand second and third in the elections.
The SLU uploads the names and symbols of the candidates contesting a particular seat onto VVPAT or paper trail machines.
After the results were announced, authorities kept the EVMs and VVPAT slips for 45 days. During this period, individuals could file an election petition in the relevant high court to challenge the election. The court could request the EVMs and VVPAT slips during the hearing of the plea.
Before the Supreme Court order, engineers from BEL or ECIL, the manufacturers of the ballot unit, control unit, VVPAT, and SLUs, handed over the SLUs to local poll officials.
The day after the poll, the engineers from the two public sector units, who manufacture the ballot unit, control unit, VVPAT, and SLUs, received the SLUs back.
A few years ago, engineers added a feature that allowed candidates or their representatives to view the symbol loading process on a TV monitor. The addition of this feature aimed to enhance transparency.
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