The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced changes to the vote-counting process to maintain consistency and transparency. According to the new guidelines, the second phase of counting involving postal ballots will commence only after the completion of counting of all other postal ballots during elections.
Over the past six months, the ECI has undertaken several initiatives to improve transparency and efficiency in the electoral process. As part of this effort, the commission has now revised the procedure for counting postal ballots, both in paper and electronic formats, to make it simpler and more transparent.
Traditionally, vote counting involves two main stages: the counting of postal ballots (both physical and electronic) and counting of votes via EVMs. On counting day, postal ballot counting begins at 8:00 a.m., while EVM counting starts at 8:30 a.m. Earlier instructions allowed EVM counting to proceed independently of postal ballot counting, sometimes resulting in EVM votes being fully counted before postal ballots.
With the recent provision allowing senior citizens above 85 and persons with disabilities to vote from home, the number of postal ballots has increased significantly. To maintain overall consistency and clarity in the counting process, the ECI has now directed that EVM/VVPAT counting should start only after the second phase of postal ballot counting is completed.
Additionally, in constituencies with a large number of postal ballots, the ECI has instructed returning officers to ensure the availability of sufficient tables and counting personnel. This measure aims to maintain both the speed and transparency of the counting process.
