The Election Commission of India (ECI) has confirmed the receipt of applications for the verification of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) following the culmination of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. A total of eight applications have been received for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and three applications for the state legislative assembly elections.
The ECI had on June 1 issued an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). The SOP, detailed by the ECI, outlines the process and protocols for the verification of burnt memory/microcontroller of EVMs post the announcement of election results.
Lok Sabha elections: Which parties want EVM verification
According to the Election Commission of India, the YSRCP wants two EVMs of the Vizianagaram to be checked in Andhra Pradesh.
In Chhattisgarh, the Congress wants four EVMs to be checked in Kanker. In Haryana, the party wants a total of six EVMs to be checked in Karnal and Faridabad.
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In Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar, the BJP wants 40 EVMs to be checked while in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore Lok Sabha constituency, it wants six to be verified. The DMDK wants 14 EVMs to be checked in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhnagar Parliamentary constituency.
In Telangana, the BJP wants 20 EVMs to be verified in the Zahirabad constituency.
Request for EVM verification in Assembly polls
The YSRCP wants 13 EVMs to be verified in the Gajapathinagaram and Ongole constituencies. In Odisha, the BJD wants 13 to be checked.
What the rule says
It mandates that the State Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) communicate the consolidated list of applicants to the manufacturers within 30 days of the declaration of results, i.e., by July 4, 2024. In a proactive measure, CEOs have already transmitted this information to the manufacturers 15 days ahead of schedule.
The EVM verification process, as per the SOP and legal directives, can commence within 4 weeks of confirmation of the Election Petition (EP) status from the Registrars of respective High Courts. The deadline for filing EPs for the current election cycle is July 19, 2024, marking 45 days from the date of result declaration.
The ECI will issue a technical SOP detailing the methodology and steps for the checking and verification of EVM units before the EP filing deadline.
Manufacturers are expected to finalize the schedule for EVM checking and verification within two weeks of receiving the EP status from the concerned CEOs. Subsequently, the actual verification of EVM units will commence within 4 weeks of the confirmation of EP status.
The ECI has emphasized transparency and adherence to procedural safeguards throughout this process, aiming to address any concerns and ensure the integrity of electoral outcomes. Stakeholders await further updates as the commission prepares to oversee this critical verification phase in the coming weeks.
