— Madhukar Shyam (The Indian Express has launched a new series of articles for UPSC aspirants written by seasoned writers and erudite scholars on issues and concepts spanning History, Polity, International Relations, Art, Culture and Heritage, Environment, Geography, Science and Technology, and so on. Read and reflect with subject experts and boost your chance of cracking the much-coveted UPSC CSE. In the following article, political scientist Madhukar Shyam elaborates on the process of vote counting and result declaration.) The counting of votes and declaration of results come at the end of the election process. The Election Commission of India (ECI) oversees a well-structured and strictly controlled procedure for counting votes and reporting results. In order to ensure that elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies are conducted in a free and fair manner, the ECI takes the following steps: 1. Preparation for Counting: Following the conclusion of voting, the Presiding Officers of the booth are supposed to immediately seal the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the presence of candidate’s agents and transport them to strong rooms with appropriate security measures. The strong rooms are protected by many layers of security, including police and paramilitary soldiers. CCTV cameras are always monitoring the premises, and candidates or their representatives can keep an eye on things beyond the secure areas. 2. Counting at Voting Centres: Counting occurs at designated centres, usually at district headquarters or other central areas within a constituency. Multiple counting halls may be established in big constituencies. Only authorised persons, including Election Commission officials, counting supervisors, counting helpers, and candidates or their representatives, are permitted inside the counting halls. 3. Opening of EVMs: On the counting day, EVMs are unsealed in the presence of observers, candidates, and their agents. EVMs comprise three parts: Balloting unit(s) (BU), Control Unit (CU) and Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT). The BU is what voters actually vote on, the CU is the part of the EVM where votes are actually registered and it is the CU which is brought to the counting hall for counting. The VVPAT creates a paper trail for every vote counted, printing a tiny slip of paper corresponding to each vote polled. VVPATs are used to verify results on the CU. In the 2019 general elections and thereafter, the Supreme Court of India mandated the counting of VVPAT slips from randomly selected polling stations (5 per assembly segment) to cross-verify the electronic count. This is done after the EVM count is completed. According to Election Commission’s (EC) guidelines, postal ballots begin the process of counting, and EVM counting starts 30 minutes later. Counting is done in rounds, with each round covering a specific number of polling stations. After each round, the results are announced and updated on the Election Commission’s official portal. The results stored in EVMs are extracted and displayed on a computer screen in the presence of all stakeholders. The data is also recorded manually. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4gX_O35bu0?si=SSQ_ukmp0wscbBSc&w=560&h=315 4. Declaration of Results: Once all rounds of counting are completed, the Returning Officer compiles the results for the entire constituency. The candidate with the highest number of votes is declared the winner by the Returning Officer. A formal declaration is made, and the result is communicated to the Election Commission of India. The winning candidate is issued a “Certificate of Election” by the Returning Officer of the constituency, officially confirming their election. The final results are sent to the ECI, which then publishes the results on its official website and communicates them to the public via the media. 5. Recount Requests: If there is a demand for a recount, the Returning officer may consider it if the margin of victory is narrow or if there are valid grounds for suspicion of error. The recounting is done in the presence of all candidates or their representatives. If a candidate disputes the results, they may file an election petition in the relevant High Court within a stipulated period after the results are declared. 6. Post-Counting Storage of Election Materials: EVMs, VVPATs, and other election-related materials are stored securely for a specified period in case they are needed for any legal review or audit. The Election Commission may also conduct post-election audits or reviews to ensure the integrity of the process and address any discrepancies. 7. Use of Technology and Transparency with Live Updates: The ECI provides live updates on its website and through mobile apps, allowing the public to follow the counting process in real time. CCTV cameras, authorised observers, and regular briefings by the ECI ensure transparency and build public trust in the process. Exit polls and opinion polls Moreover, in order to give tentative data based on a survey done by the research team of different media groups and an independent research institute, they come out with exit polls. Therefore, it can be said that an exit poll is a survey taken shortly after voters leave polling booths. These polls are used to predict the outcome of an election before the official results are announced. Pollsters evaluate voting patterns by asking voters which candidate or party they supported, as well as demographic questions. Exit polls provide insight into voter behaviour and can reveal trends, such as shifts in support for specific candidates or issues. In addition to the exit polls, there is also a poll called opinion polls. An opinion poll is a survey that aims to determine the public opinion on a variety of topics, such as political preferences, social issues, and current events. Unlike exit polls, which are performed on election day with actual voters, opinion polls are usually conducted before an election or at any time to gauge popular sentiment. ‘None of the Above’ or NOTA During the opinion polls and exit polls, along with the study of the final result, it was pointed out that people are now also pressing the button of ‘None of the Above’ or NOTA. NOTA is an option offered to voters who do not want to vote for any candidate in their constituency during an election, allowing them to officially register a vote of rejection for all candidates. The NOTA option was first introduced in 2013 during assembly elections. The action was taken in response to the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in the PUCL v. Union of India case/People’s Union For Civil Liberties & Anr vs Union Of India & Anr case. The decision to incorporate NOTA in the electoral process was founded on the notion that allowing voters to express their dissatisfaction would inspire more people to engage in the democratic voting process. Despite having no numerical significance, the Supreme Court views that the NOTA option “will indeed compel the political parties to nominate a sound candidate”. Other than the Supreme Court’s view, there are two perspectives on NOTA among the people: one, it has no electoral importance in Indian systems since even if the maximum number of votes are cast in favor of NOTA, the candidate who receives the most votes, which could be as little as one, is still considered the winner. Second, the NOTA vote has a significant impact on the electoral results as it reduces votes for political parties, contributing to the consequent shift in win margins. To sum up with the well-known assertion made by Amartya Sen that a country does not become fit for democracy, it becomes fit through democracy. To advance our democratic regime, the Constitution established the independent Election Commission of India. NOTA may not seem significant now, but it might be relevant in the future. Post Read Question What steps does the Election Commission of India (ECI) take to ensure fairness of the election process during the vote counting and result declaration? What is the relevance of ‘None of the above’ mentioned in the voting list? Discuss the Supreme Court’s view on it. What are exit polls and opinion polls? What role does the Election Commission of India play in regulating or overseeing exit polls and opinion polls during the election process? How does the Election Commission of India promote voter education and awareness to ensure informed and active participation in the electoral process? What measures does the Election Commission of India take to prevent electoral fraud and malpractice? (Dr. Madhukar Shyam is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Christ (Deemed to be University), Delhi NCR.) 🚨 It’s our first anniversary! The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the September issue of its monthly magazine, the special anniversary edition. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨 Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Share your thoughts and ideas on UPSC Special articles with ashiya.parveen@indianexpress.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t2vuY6fvTU?si=nCl5qfSdUcMfNeGd&w=560&h=315
