Lok Sabha Elections Results 2019: No Change in Procedure For Counting of Votes, EC Rejects Opposition's Demand to Count VVPAT Slips First
The Election Commission held a meeting where it decided not to introduce any last minute changes to the existing procedure for counting of votes tomorrow.
New Delhi, May 23: In a setback to Opposition parties a day before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections results, the Election Commission on Wednesday rejected their demand to count VVPAT slips first during the counting of votes. The Election Commission held a meeting where it decided not to introduce any last minute changes to the existing procedure for counting of votes tomorrow.
As many as 22 Opposition parties on Tuesday approached the Election Commission and demanded that VVPAT slips at randomly selected five polling booths should be counted first, and if any discrepancy occurs, then VVPAT slips should be tallied for the entire assembly segments. The poll panel said it would discuss the issue on Wednesday.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, who is spearheading the Opposition's campaign against the EVMs and to build a non-BJP front, on Tuesday asked what problem did the Commission have in implementing their suggestions. Congress Leader Udit Raj Asks 'Is Supreme Court Involved in EVM Rigging?'
In April, the apex court had rejected a plea seeking direction for the Election Commission to verify 50 per cent random EVMs with Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail or VVPAT. The top court, however, asked the poll panel to increase random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs from one to five machines at polling booths per Assembly segment in the Lok Sabha elections.
The Opposition moved another plea in earlier this month seeking review of its April judgement. However, the apex court dismissed the review petition. The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a PIL which sought 100 per cent verification of VVPAT slips with the EVMs during the counting of votes on May 23 for the recently held Lok Sabha elections.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2019 01:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).