When can Election Commission hold draw of lots to pick the winner?

The counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections will be taken up on Tuesday.

IMAGE: People look at the replica of EVM installed by the Election Commission of India as part of the voters awareness programme for the Lok Sabha Polls, in Gurugram. Photograph: ANI Photo

Here is a brief overview of the counting process.

Under Rule 54 A of the Conduct of Elections Rules 1961, the counting of postal ballot papers shall be started first at the returning officer's (RO) table.
Only such postal ballot papers shall be taken up for counting which are received by the RO before the hour fixed for the commencement of counting.
After 30 minutes of the commencement of counting of postal ballots, the counting of votes from EVMs should be started.

Counting of votes from EVMs can begin on the scheduled time if there is no postal ballot paper in the constituency.
Only the control unit (CU) of the EVM used in polling station is required for counting of votes along with Form 17C.
Before ascertaining the result from the CUs of EVMs, counting officials shall ensure that the paper seal on them is intact and the total votes polled tally with those mentioned in Form 17C.
The result of the control unit shall be noted in Part-II of Form 17C
after showing it to the counting supervisor, micro observer and counting agents of candidates.
In case of non-display of results in the display panel of the control unit, VVPAT slips of the respective VVPAT shall be counted after completion of all CUs count.
Candidate-wise result of each CU shall be noted in Part II of Form 17C and signed by the counting supervisor and counting agents of candidates present at the counting table.
Form 17C of each polling station should be sent to the officer who is compiling the final result sheet in Form 20.
Counting of VVPAT slips shall start only after the completion of counting of votes from CUs.
Mandatory verification of VVPAT slips of randomly selected five polling stations per assembly constituency/each assembly segment of a parliamentary constituency shall be done only after the completion of counting of votes.
When the margin of victory is less than the number of postal ballot papers rejected, all such rejected postal ballot papers shall be mandatorily re-verified before declaration of the result.
If two candidates get equal number of highest votes, the result will be declared by draw of lots.