ECI streamlines postal ballot counting to avoid delays

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has unveiled its 30th reform measure in the past six months, aimed at making the counting of votes smoother and more transparent. This time, the focus is on streamlining the process of counting postal ballots to avoid delays and ensure uniformity.

An ECI spokesperson explained that vote counting involves two components — postal ballots/ Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballots (ETPBs) and EVM counting. At present, postal ballot counting begins at 8 am, while EVM counting starts at 8:30 am. Earlier, EVM counting could progress and even finish before postal ballot counting was over.

“In view of recent initiatives for home voting for PwDs and senior citizens (85+), the number of postal ballots has increased substantially,” the spokesperson said.

To address this, the Commission has decided that the penultimate (second-last) round of EVM/VVPAT counting will now be taken up only after the postal ballot count is fully completed at a given counting centre.

Although postal ballot counting usually finishes before EVM counting, the new guideline aims to ensure “utmost clarity and uniformity in the process,” the ECI said.

The Commission has also instructed Returning Officers (ROs) to make sure sufficient tables and counting staff are deployed wherever postal ballots are large in number, so that there is no delay.