Kerala will have to wait longer than usual to know the final result of the election to the 15th State Legislative Assembly.
If the results of the previous elections were known by noon, the final result this time is likely to come well past 3pm on Sunday, the counting day. Reason: The increase in postal votes.
Each segment which previously had 800 postal votes on an average, are having 4,000 to 5,000 votes this time.
Additionally, there is a corresponding increase in electronic voting machines (EVMs), as the number of polling booths were increased to 40,771 from the earlier 24,970. Counting votes in EVMs, too, will consume more time.
According to norms, officials will have to wait until postal votes are counted to begin counting the EVM votes. Postal votes will have to be recounted in constituencies where the victory margin is below 4,000 (less than the total postal votes).
Each round of counting 21 EVMs would require 20 to 30 minutes each. As many as 16 rounds of counting will be needed in all constituencies, which is likely to take five-and-a-half hours.
Previously, votes of a constituency were counted on a single table, whereas five to eight tables are arranged this time. Each table will count 500 votes in each round. In segments with more than 5,000 postal votes, two rounds of counting on five tables will be required.
In the previous election, the counting was done on a single table in more than four hours. This time, however, it will take over seven hours to complete the counting. If recounting is necessary, the final result will not be known before dusk.
As many as 957 candidates have sought the mandate of about 2.74 crore electorate in Kerala on April 6. The electorate comprises 1,32,83,724 men, 1,41,62,025 women and 290 transgenders, according to Election Commission (EC) figures.
The EC, meanwhile, has withdrawn the Trends Portal, which used to offer comprehensive details of the counting. Instead, the EC’s centralized website (https://results.eci.gov.in) and mobile app (voter helpline) are the only sources disseminating information on counting.
The centralized website will be uploading information on the counting in five states. This may lead to the website crashing under heavy traffic. The EC has also not provided the exclusive link to the media.
In short, there are fewer sources to gather information, even as the counting is likely to be a prolonged affair due to the increased number of postal votes.
Counting day foretold
The returning officer, accompanied by armed guards, will open the strong room where the sealed electronic voting machines (EVMs) are stored at 6am. The room will be opened in the presence of the candidates (or their representatives), and an observer from the Election Commission.
Postal votes first
The counting of postal votes will commence at 8am. Only those ballots the returning officer received before 8am will be taken up for counting. Those delivered late will be kept aside. Simultaneous to the counting postal votes, service votes will be scanned on three tables (two in some places) in the hall.
EVMs at 8.:0am
The EVMs will be taken up 30 minutes after the commencement of the counting of postal votes.
Trends and results
The result of each machine will be recorded in the 17-C form, before asking the counting agents to attest it. Once attested, it will be uploaded onto the EC’s Encore (a candidate and counting management system) software. The lead of candidates will be reflected almost simultaneously on the EC website.
A board in the counting hall will display the votes of candidates after each round. After the final round, the votes will be recounted if the victory margin is less than the total number of postal votes.
After the counting
Once the counting is completed, the EVMs, postal ballots and other documents will be shifted back to the strong room. The district collectors can return the EVMs on EC’s directive, if the result is not challenged in the High Court of Supreme Court within 45 days of counting.
VVPAT
Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail, or VVPAT, gives feedback to voters using a non-ballot voting system. It confirms whether the vote cast has gone to the desired candidate. A slip, printed with the name of the candidate and his/her polling symbol the voter has chosen, will be dropped into a container attached to the VVPAT machine.
After the counting of postal votes and EVMs, five booths from each constituency will be selected by lot. The VVPAT containers of the selected booths will be brought to the counting hall, and placed on a table, which has a security iron net.
The VVPAT slips will be taken out, separated, counted and cross-checked. If an EVM in any booth was replaced during polling, the corresponding VVPAT will also be taken for counting, if the candidate demands it.
Postal votes
Officials assigned election duty send their votes by post to the returning officer. Postal votes received till 8am on counting day will be taken up. The India Post has made arrangements for special messengers in all post offices to deliver postal votes to counting centres from 6am onwards.
Considering the COVID-19 pandemic situation, postal voting facilities were extended to those aged above 80, and differently-abled people. Officials were assigned to collect such postal votes from the residences of the voters.
EVM counting hall
• The Assistant Returning Officer will be seated at the head table. The table will have two more chairs. The EC observer will occupy one of the chairs.
• Seven tables in each hall to count votes. A counting supervisor, a counting assistant and observer will flank each table.
• Encore software team to tabulate and upload 17-C forms, attested by counting agents.
Postal vote counting hall
• The Returning Officer will be seated at the head table. The table will have two more chairs. The EC observer will occupy one of the chairs.
• Five (it may go up to eight) tables in each hall. A counting supervisor, two counting assistants and observer will flank each table. Though there is an instruction to assign an assistant returning officer to each table, it is not practical everywhere.
• Encore team to tabulate and upload information
• Two to three tables to scan service votes. Each table will be monitored by a counting supervisor and counting assistant.
Poll scan
• Over two crore votes to be counted.
• No of Assembly constituencies: 140
• Lok Sabha segment: 1 (Malappuram)
• Candidates (Assembly): 957
• Candidates (Lok Sabha): 6
• Number of booths: 40,771
• Number of tellers (People counting votes): 24,709
• Number of counting halls: 633 (previously 140)
• Number of differently-abled, octogenarians and above voters, and others with COVID-19: 3,49,003
• Essential services votes: 32,633
• Postal votes (officials on poll duty): 2,02,602
Service votes
Military, para-military, and police personnel deployed outside their respective constituencies, and Foreign Service officials posted overseas, cast their votes electronically. This is called service votes, officially known as Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS).
Process
Encrypted ballots sent electronically are downloaded using an OTP. After casting the vote, the ballot is returned by post in a specific envelope, and it should reach the returning officer before 8am on counting day. Any duplication attempt can be detected using a QR scan at the counting centre.