The Election Commission has put in place an
elaborate framework of administrative system, Security protocols and procedural
checks-and-balances in Gujarat, which prevent any possible misuse of EVMs/VVPATs
or procedural lapses in the use of EVMs and VVPATs during polls. These safeguards
are being implemented by ECI, in total transparency, with the active and
documented involvement of Political Parties, Candidates and their
Representatives at every stage, so as to build their confidence on efficacy and
reliability of EVMs and VVPATs. All these functions and procedures are
implemented through the District Election Officers (DEOs), Returning Officers
(ROs), Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) and other election related officers
concerned, who are on deemed deputation to the ECI and are under its
superintendence, direction and control.
In order to provide 100% voter
verifiability and Auditability of every vote cast through the EVM, the
Commission has deployed Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in
all the 50,128 polling stations in Gujarat excluding Auxiliary Polling
Stations. In the VVPAT machine, a paper slip is generated bearing the name
and symbol of the candidate to whom the vote has been cast and remains visible
to the Voter through a transparent window for 7 seconds. Thus, the VVPAT
enables the voter to verify instantly that the vote cast by him has been
recorded correctly in favour of the candidate of his choice, thereby injecting
greater transparency and credibility to the whole voting process.
The comprehensive framework of
administrative protocols and procedural safeguards comprise of the First Level
Checking of all EVMs and VVPATs, strict regime of Mock Polls conducted on each
and every EVM and VVPAT during the FLC, Candidate Setting and Poll Day (before
the beginning of actual polls), 2-stage randomization of EVMs and VVPATs,
stringent security protocols for storage of EVMs and VVPATs before, during and
after the polls, and comprehensive videography and CCTV coverage of all EVM
& VVPAT related activities and storage in strong-rooms. It is pertinent to
highlight that all the above election-related activities are carried out in the
presence of the representatives of political parties and candidates/election
agents.
First Level Checking of EVMs & VVPATs: First level checking (FLC) of EVMs and
VVPATs was done for every EVM and VVPAT, which will be used in the ensuing elections
in Gujarat. The FLC was conducted by the engineers of the manufacturers in the
presence of political parties’ representatives. The entire FLC process was
carried out at the District level under the supervision of the DEO concerned
under continuous videography/CCTV coverage. Any malfunctioning EVM and
VVPAT was sent to the factories, so that the same cannot be used in the
election.
i.
Manufacturers certify
at the time of FLC that all components in the EVM are original. After this, the
plastic cabinet of Control Unit of the EVM is sealed, which is also signed by
representatives of political parties and stored in strong rooms. After this
stage, the plastic cabinet of control unit of the EVMs cannot be opened.
ii.
Mock poll with a few
votes is conducted on every functioning EVM at the time of FLC. Additionally,
at the time of FLC, 1200 votes were cast in 1% of EVMs, 1000 votes in 2% and
500 votes in another 2% of EVMs in the presence of the representatives of
political parties. A printout of the results of this mock poll as well as a
sequential print out of every vote polled during the mock poll were shown to
the representatives of political parties. Representatives of political parties
were allowed to pick machines randomly for this purpose. In rest of the
machines, numbers of votes polled during the mock poll were to the satisfaction
of the representatives of political parties. Representatives of political
parties were allowed to do mock poll themselves. In VVPATs, mock-poll with 6
votes against each of the 16 candidate buttons was done for each VVPATs.
In
the run up to the elections, comprehensive cascaded training and capacity
building of the election-related personnel has been carried out by the Election
Commission in the State of Gujarat. As of 30.11.2017 3,350 batches of
trainings have been completed in which 1,93,962 polling staff comprising of
Polling Personnel, Sector Officers and Nodal Officers, were trained. All
these polling staff were provided hands-on training on the various aspects of
EVM and VVPAT functioning for the smooth and effective conduct of polling.
Randomization of EVMs and VVPATs:FLC-OK EVMs and VVPATs were randomized
twice, once for allocation of machines to Assembly constituencies and second to
polling stations in the presence of candidates or their representatives before
they are distributed for use in individual polling stations. The randomizations
were carried out through EVM Tracking Software (ETS) by the DEO in the presence
of the representatives of political parties/candidates for complete
transparency. The lists of EVMs and VVPATs containing serial number of EVM and
VVPAT allocated to particular polling station were provided to the political
parties/candidates.
Candidate
setting in EVMs and VVPATs (Candidate Setting): Candidate setting in EVMs and VVPATs for 1st
phase of Gujarat elections has been completed in the presence of contesting
candidates or their representatives. For this purpose, the contesting
candidates were invited by the Returning Officers through advance written
communication under proper acknowledgment. Candidate setting of 2nd
phase EVMs and VVPATs is currently underway.
Candidate
setting in EVMs and VVPATs was done in fully sanitized hall. Every entry to
the hall is guarded by security personnel and have a door-frame metal detector.
Every person who enters the hall is frisked at every entry and only authorized
officials are allowed to enter the hall.
It must be noted here that the arrangement
of names of candidates in the ballot paper, and hence the Ballot Unit, is in
alphabetical order, first for the National & State Recognized parties,
followed by other State Registered Parties, and then by Independents. Thus,
the sequence in which the candidates appear on the Ballot Unit is contingent on
the names of the candidates and their party affiliation and cannot be
ascertained beforehand. This arrangement of sequencing names of candidates in
ballot paper effectively precludes the possibility of any pre-determined
manipulation of software for rigging the votes. Hence, the serial number of
the candidates of any particular political party will vary in each constituency
and cannot be determined beforehand thereby ruling out any possibility of
manipulation.
Once the
candidate setting is done, the Ballot Unit of the EVM is also sealed so that
nobody has access to the inside of the Ballot Unit too.
These seals also bear signatures of candidates/their representatives.
Serial
numbers, names of candidates and symbols allotted is loaded in VVPAT with the
help of engineers. A test printout is checked with the ballot paper in
Balloting Unit (BU). Then one vote to each candidate is given to check that the
VVPAT is printing the paper slips accurately.
During candidate
setting in EVMs and VVPATs, casting of votes against all 16 candidate switches,
observation of result & clearing of mock poll data is done for each EVM.
In addition, in 5 % of machines at least 1000 votes are polled during the mock
poll at the time of preparation of machines. In rest of the machines
number of votes polled during the mock poll are subject to the satisfaction of
the candidates/ their representatives and they are also allowed to do the mock
poll themselves. The whole process of candidate setting of EVMs and VVPATs is
videographed.
Poll
Day: On the poll day, a
mock poll by casting at least 50 votes will be conducted at every polling
station by the Presiding Officer in the presence of the polling agents one hour
before start of actual poll. After the mock poll, Presiding Officer will
ascertain the result in the CU, count the VVPAT paper slips in the presence of
the polling agents and confirm that the results tally for each candidate. All
mock poll data in CU and VVPAT paper slips from VVPAT will be removed by the
Presiding Officer and the empty drop box verified by the Polling Agents. The
mock poll VVPAT paper slips will be stamped on their back side with rubber
stamp having inscription “MOCK POLL SLIP”, thereafter these mock poll VVPAT
paper slips will be kept in an envelope made of thick black paper and sealed
with the seal of the Presiding Officer. A mock-poll certificate to that effect will
be obtained from every Presiding Officer.
Storage
of EVMs and VVPATs after poll: After poll, EVMs and VVPATs will be sealed in their respective carrying
cases and polling agents will also be allowed to put their signatures on the
seals, which they can check for the intactness of the seal before counting.
Candidates/representatives will also be allowed to follow the vehicles (with
escorts) carrying EVMs and VVPATs from polling stations to counting storage
rooms.
Storage of Polled EVMs and
VVPATs in Strong Rooms after poll:
i
The strong rooms will have double lock system. One key will
be kept with District Election Officer and the other with Returning Officer of
concerned assembly constituency.
ii
Two cordoned security arrangements will be made round the
clock for the strong rooms having polled EVMs and VVPATs kept for counting of
votes. The CPF will man the innermost perimeter security immediately outside
the strong room and the State Armed Police will man the outermost perimeter
security.
iii
All contesting candidates will be intimated in writing to
depute their representatives to keep a close watch on security arrangement of
strong room. They will be allowed to stay outside the inner perimeter at a location,
which enables them to view the entry points of the strong room. As far as
possible, facilities such as proper shade, drinking water, etc. shall be provided
to them. If there is no direct view to the entry point of the strong room,
CCTV is arranged at such location, from where they can see the strong room door
on CCTV. In such a case, they will also be taken periodically to the inner
perimeter in batches, to see, verify and satisfy themselves regarding the
security of strong room. The CCTV display of Strong Room will be arranged on a
large TV screen at the place earmarked for the representatives of Political
Parties and agents of the candidates, so that they can continuously monitor the
Strong Room.
iv
A control room adjacent to the strong room will be operated
round the clock.
v
A Gazetted officer along with a senior police officer will
be put on duty round the clock for monitoring the security arrangements of
strong room.
vi
No one will be allowed to enter the inner perimeter without
adhering the following protocols:-
a)
The log book will be maintained by the CPF in which entry
should be made about date, time, duration and name(s) of person(s) crossing the
second security ring i.e. the middle perimeter. This includes visits by the
Observers or DEOs or SPs or candidates or their agents or any other person.
b)
Video cameras will be provided to the CPF contingent to
record all visits made by such visitors.
vii
All the entry points (doors etc.) of strong rooms will be under
constant videography using the web-cams and laptops available. If there are
other doors of the strong room, they will also be covered by the
web-cams/videography. Persons coming to take back-up from the laptops should
have identity cards given to them and their names should be recorded in advance
with the CPF contingent stationed there. Their visits will be videographed by
the CPF contingent with the video camera provided, for the entire duration.
viii
Returning Officers should visit the storage campus (upto
the inner perimeter only) every day in the morning and evening and check the
log book and videography and send a report to the DEO on the status every day.
In case of strong rooms located in the district headquarters, the DEO should do
the same. Where the strong rooms are situated outside the District
Headquarters, DEO should visit the same as frequently as possible and at least
once in 3 to 4 days.
ix
No vehicle, including that of any official or ministers or
any other political functionary, will be allowed inside the secured campus
where the EVMs and VVPATs are stored. Alighting point for the vehicles should
be marked clearly ahead of the outer security perimeter itself beyond it, it
should be a pedestrian zone only.
x
DCs and SPs will be personally responsible for security of
strong room within the district and meticulous implementation of the protocol.
Counting: On the day of counting of votes, the strong room will be opened
in the presence of candidates/their representative, RO and Observer under
videography.
For
the ensuing elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the Commission
has decided to undertake a mandatory verification of VVPAT paper slips of
randomly selected 01 (one) polling station per Assembly Constituency on a pilot
basis for greater transparency and credibility of the election process. Hence, a mandatory verification of at least 182
polling stations in Gujarat and 68 polling stations in Himachal Pradesh through
the recount of VVPATs paper slips would be done during the Counting process in
these States.
After completion of counting of votes, Control
Units and VVPATs shall again be sealed as and shifted back to Strong Room for
safe storage.
The
Commission is confident and has firm conviction that no unauthorised person is
allowed access to EVMs and VVPATs before, during or after the polls. Besides,
no unaccounted EVMs and VVPATs can enter the election eco-system at any stage,
since all EVM/VVPAT activities are done in presence of stakeholders and tracked
through the ETS.
The
Commission would like to reassure the people of the country that the Commission
would leave no stone unturned in preserving the purity, integrity and
credibility of the elections and reinforcing the faith and trust of the people
in the electoral democracy of our county.
New Delhi : 8th December ,2017
RM/VM
