Election Commission of India Training on Use of Electronic Voting Machine

Index Description of EVM Procedure at the Counting Place How Are the Votes Counted?

Description of EVM Description

Electronic Voting Machine EVM is a simple and reliable equipment for use in electing a candidate from among many candidates It is portable and easy to operate It operates on a special power pack It is tamper-proof and error free The polling data once recorded is retained even when the power pack is removed Description

Interconnecting Cable Components of EVM Control Unit Interconnecting Cable Balloting Unit Description

Carrying Cases Carrying Case - Control Unit The Control Unit and Balloting Unit are packed separately in special carrying cases Carrying Case - Balloting Unit Description

Opening of Carrying Case – Control Unit Details of latches Case Closed Latches Description

Opening of Carrying Case – Control Unit Pull and push upwards simultaneously to release Lift to open Description

Opening of Carrying Case – Control Unit Open Case

Control Unit ON Lamp Busy Lamp Display Section Candidate Set Section Result Section Ballot Section Ballot Button Total Button

Control Unit Opening of Bottom Compartment Cover Press Latch to release Pull to open Cover Description

Control Unit View of Bottom Compartment Power Switch Connector for Auxiliary Unit Connector for Interconnecting Cable Bottom Compartment Cover Description

Control Unit Display Section 4-Digit Display Panel ON Lamp Busy Lamp 2-Digit Display Panel Description

Control Unit Candidate Set Section inner door Candidate set section outer door Provision for thread seal Latch Power pack compartment Candidate set button Plug for power pack Provision for Thread seal Description

Control Unit Result Section Result I button Close button Clear button Provision for thread seal Inner compartment door Result II button Inner latches Frames for Paper seal Description

Control Unit Ballot Section Total button Ballot button Description

Procedure at the Counting Place

Preparation of Strong Room for EVMs One Hall/Room for all the EVMs used in one Assembly Constituency Draw Squares on Floor & Write Polling Station Numbers in each square to keep corresponding Balloting Unit / Control Unit Ensure that the Strong Room has only one entry door and all windows are securely barred and closed Procedure at the Counting Place

Procedure at the Counting Place Storing Method of EVMs Balloting Unit & Control Unit sealed in their Carrying Cases after poll should “NOT” be opened before counting Store both Balloting and Control Units used at a polling station together with Control Unit on top of Balloting Unit On top of the Control Unit, keep the sealed cover of Form 17-C If space is a constraint, both the Units can be kept side by side in standing position Procedure at the Counting Place

Sealing of the Strong Room After all used EVMs of a constituency are stored in the Strong Room – Close & bar all windows Switch off all lights & power points Close, lock & seal the entry door with RO’s seal Allow the candidates / agents to put their seals on the door, if they so desire Keep armed guards round the clock near strong room. Allow candidates’ representatives to keep vigil till counting day Procedure at the Counting Place

Counting Day Arrangement of Tables (Contd.) A model layout of the Counting Hall is given in next slide 15 Tables - One for the RO/ARO and 14 for Counting of Votes One Counting Supervisor and one Counting Assistant for each table Procedure at the Counting Place

Procedure at the Counting Place Model layout of the Counting Hall Procedure at the Counting Place

Counting Day Opening of Strong Room (Contd.) Counting Day Opening of Strong Room Give due notice to candidates to be present at the fixed hour of opening Strong Room Allow them to examine the seals on the door of strong room before opening Post a responsible officer and also armed guards to keep a watch in the strong room till the counting is over Procedure at the Counting Place

Counting Day Counting Tables (Contd.) Counting tables shall be serially numbered from 1 to 14 Control Units shall be supplied in the serial order of polling stations Control Unit of Polling Station No. 1 shall be supplied to Table No. 1, that of Polling Station No. 2 to Table No. 2, and so on If more than one Control Unit is used at any polling station, ensure that all such units are supplied to that Table in one lot Procedure at the Counting Place

Counting Day Supply of Control Units to Tables (Contd.) Counting Day Supply of Control Units to Tables Balloting Units shall NOT be taken out of strong room ONLY Control Units & Form 17C in sealed covers are to be supplied to counting tables DO NOT OPEN seals of carrying cases of used Control Units in the strong room They shall be opened only at the counting table in the presence of counting agents / candidates Procedure at the Counting Place

Procedure at the Counting Place Counting Procedure R.O. Should keep spare new batteries on his table & shall fix them on the counting table only when any battery is weak in the used control units Direct the counting supervisors & assistants not to leave the counting table allotted to them They should NOT leave any machine on the table unattended Procedure at the Counting Place

Procedure at the Counting Place Counting Procedure (Contd.) R.O. Should attend to the postal ballot papers first In the meanwhile Control Units along with Forms 17C can be supplied to the counting tables Candidates / agents be allowed to check the seals Procedure at the Counting Place

Counting Procedure Checking the Seals (Contd.) Be familiar with the procedure laid down in Handbook For ROs First inspect the seals on carrying case of the Control Unit, then remove the seals and take out the Control Unit from the carrying case Keep aside the empty carrying case Inspect the outer seals of Control Unit 1 Procedure at the Counting Place

Procedure at the Counting Place Counting Procedure Checking the Seals (Contd.) Open the outer cover of “Result section” Permit inspection of green paper seal(s) and their serial numbers Procedure at the Counting Place

Switching on Control Unit Counting Procedure Switching on Control Unit (Contd.) Open the Bottom (Rear) compartment of Control Unit and switch ON power If the battery is weak there may not be any display The seals of battery section be opened and a NEW Battery be inserted Close the Bottom (Rear) compartment Procedure at the Counting Place

Procedure at the Counting Place Counting Procedure Piercing of Paper Seal (Contd.) To find out whether the Power pack / Battery is working or not, press TOTAL Button After getting ready to note down the result, PIERCE the green paper seal over RESULT-1 Button and reach RESULT-1 Button. It is not necessary to open INNER COMPARTMENT Procedure at the Counting Place

Procedure at the Counting Place Counting Procedure Result Display (Contd.) Press RESULT-1 Button. Note down the result. Procedure at the Counting Place

Procedure at the Counting Place Counting Procedure Tips (Contd.) On pressing RESULT-1 Button either - Result may be displayed OR The right display panel may flash“no” If the display is NO, then press CLOSE Button After the display of CLOSE Button is over, PRESS RESULT-1 Button Procedure at the Counting Place

Resealing Control Unit after Counting Counting Procedure Resealing Control Unit after Counting (Contd.) After the counting is over, switch off the Control Unit Remove the Power pack Pull Power pack / Battery out Procedure at the Counting Place

Resealing Control Unit after Counting Counting Procedure Resealing Control Unit after Counting (Contd.) Seal both Result Section and Candidate Set Section outer doors Pack the Control Unit in the carrying case and seal it Procedure at the Counting Place

How Are the Votes Counted? At the end of the poll, the Control Unit and Ballot Unit are switched off and sealed in separate carrying cases in the presence of the candidates or their agents They are then sent to secure storage centers till the day of the counting On the day of counting the Control Units are taken to the counting center On pressing the “RESULT” button the Control Unit displays the following Total No. of votes cast Individual votes recorded against each of the candidates

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