The Electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be sealed again after counting of votes cast in the lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh on May 16. The counting agents may also remain present on the occasion.
After ensuring candidate-wise results recorded in EVMs’ control units and entering counting results in Part-2 of Form-17 and final results in Form-20, control units will be wrapped again with the seals of returning officers and commission’s secret seal. The units will be sealed in such a way that the results recorded in them are not deleted and memory is maintained and where printer is used for paper trail. The returning officers will seal paper slips as per the commission’s directives.
The battery will be removed from candidate-set portion of the control unit and its cover will be sealed again. As per the commission’s directives, removal of battery is necessary to prevent it from getting degenerated and to ensure no harm to the machine. The commission has also directed that the results in the EVMs will remain intact even if battery is removed since they are capable of maintaining their memories without battery. After this, the outer cover of results section will be sealed.
The commission has directed that after sealing, the EVMs will be placed in their carry bags, which will also be sealed again. An identity tag will be fastened with handles of carry bags. The tag will contain details of election, name of constituency, polling booth where EVM was used, serial number of control unit and dates of polling and counting.
According to the commission, the counting agents can put their seals on the EVM should they desire, but at the same time directives have been given to election officers to put their own seals in such a way that counting agents agree to it and need not put their separate seals.