Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has asserted the integrity of India's electoral process, stating that no discrepancies have been found between the votes counted on electronic voting machines and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.
Addressing concerns about mismatches in polling figures, Kumar attributed the issue to limitations in the data reported by the Voter Turnout Reporting app, which excludes postal ballot votes.
He emphasised the robust mechanisms in place to ensure accuracy, including reconciliation of every vote with Form 17C and thorough review of any minor errors.
Kumar highlighted that the Election Commission rigorously follows guidelines for all aspects of the electoral process, including electoral rolls and machine handling.
Kumar was addressing a press conference to announce the schedule for the Delhi assembly elections which will be held on February 5.
"Let me tell the nation today. After the Supreme Court mandated in 2019 that five VVPATs must be counted from each assembly constituency, over 67,000 VVPATs have been checked. This translates to more than 4.5 crore (VVPAT) slips being verified. And let me assure you that not even a difference of one vote has been found with the new machines since 2019," the CEC said.
He addressed concerns regarding mismatch in polling figures and the votes counted during recent elections, attributing the issue primarily to limitations in the data reported by the Voter Turnout Reporting app.
Kumar explained that the VTR app reflects only votes cast through Electronic Voting Machines and excludes postal ballots, which are a significant component of the total vote count.
"The discrepancy arises because the VTR app does not account for postal ballot votes. This can create a temporary mismatch in the numbers," he clarified.
Kumar also highlighted the robust mechanisms in place to ensure the accuracy of the vote tally.
Every vote registered on an EVM is meticulously reconciled with Form 17C, a document that logs votes cast at each polling station.
The CEC also pointed out that any minor errors, such as technical glitches in some of the older machines or mock poll data not being cleared, are handled with precision.
"There could be instances where a machine's data is set aside during the counting process. However, these instances are reviewed thoroughly and the slips are counted if they could potentially impact the victory margin," he explained.
Kumar highlighted that the guidelines for every aspect of the electoral process, from electoral rolls to machine handling, are rigorously followed and shared with political parties.
On complaints about people not finding their names in the voters' list, he said that if any name is mistakenly cut, people have time from January 5 to October to fill out forms to get their name added again to the electoral rolls, suggesting that individuals should check the voters' list ahead of time rather than waiting until election day.
The CEC reiterated the transparency and robustness of the election mechanism, dismissing allegations of vote tampering.
"Our process is not only thorough but also transparent. Form 20, which contains the exact details of winners and losers, is handed over to all candidates," Kumar said.
The Election Commission has been subjected to scrutiny and demands for greater accountability, including the counting of all VVPAT slips, by opposition parties.
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