After the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) “experiment” with the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) turned out badly in February 4 Punjab polls, no less than 48 polling stations would go for re-polling on Thursday (February 9).
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh said that the malfunctioning of the EVMs and VVPAT was the reason that the ECI ordering re-poll at certain polling booths.
Maximum 12 polling stations, where re-polling would be held, are in Majitha Assembly segment, followed by nine in Muktsar constituency, and six in Sangrur Assembly constituency.
These three constituencies faced the maximum complaints and problems regarding the malfunctioning of the VVPAT enabled electronic voting machines (EVMs), and most of the polling stations are those where VVPAT developed snag.
Out of total 6,668 VVPATs deployed for polls to 117 Assembly constituencies and bye-election to Amritsar lok Sabha seat, 187 were replaced due to technical snag during the polling. The number was much higher at 538 during the mock polling.
Maximum of 25 machines were replaced in Majitha, besides 10 each in Sangrur and Muktsar.
Other than the three Assembly constituencies, re-polling would also be conducted at 16 polling stations in Amritsar Parliamentary constituency, four polling stations in Sardulgarh Assembly constituency, and one polling station in Moga Assembly constituency.
During polling process on Saturday, due to malfunctioning in VVPATs and EVMs in some places, polling process got interrupted. Out of 24,697 ballot units (BUs) and 24,256 control units (CUs) used in Punjab, 180 BUs and 184 CUs failed during the poll — that is 0.73 percent BUs and 0.76 percent CUs failing during the actual poll.
The Commission, for the first time in the country, used VVPAT enabled EVMs for Saturday’s poll in Punjab’s 35 constituencies, including two for Amritsar bye-polls.
If successful, the system was to be adopted across the country.
VVPAT is an equipment connected to the EVM that generates an immediate paper trail once the vote is cast. Once generated, the slip, containing the name and symbol of the candidate, is visible through a glass for seven seconds before being deposited in a compartment within the machine. The slip was preserved for later use to tally in case there is a dispute in the final result.
Following the large scale technical glitches, the EC had sought a detailed report from the state election authorities regarding malfunctioning of VVPATs resulting in delayed in polling process.
The same day, AAP’s national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also attacked the poll watchdog, tweeting, “Never has any election seen malfunctioning EVMs on such a large scale. Was it mischief done deliberately by or in collusion with ECIJ”
The party even approached Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) VK Singh on the polling day demanding extension in time where polling was affected because of snags in VVPAT.
OFFICERS, CANDIDATES INFORMED: CEO
CEO VK Singh said that all the concerned Returning Officers and Observers have been instructed to act accordingly.
“The political parties and the contesting candidates have also been intimated about the re-poll as per the directions of Election Commission of India,” he said.
Singh added that the poll day has been fixed on February 9, 2017, and the polling hours would be from 8 am to 5 pm. “All the voters queued up till 5 pm at the polling stations could cast their votes,” he said. Singh also said that necessary arrangements have been made and election material, EVMs, security and poll staff in adequate numbers have been deputed for this task.
‘WHAT’S THE NEED’, ask CANDIDATES
While the poll panel maintained that the repolling is being held “to uphold integrity of the electoral process”, most of the candidates questioned the EC move maintaining that there was “no need”.
Expressing surprise over the EC’s repoll move, the state Revenue Minister and SAD-BJP combine candidate from Majitha assembly segment Bikram Singh Majithia questioned the logic for ordering re-polling when no candidate demanded it.
“I don't understand why the EC want to conduct repoll here as no candidate in Majitha from any party sought the re-election,” Majithia said while talking with The Pioneer.
“During the polling when the VVPAT developed snag, we demanded that time be extended as lot of time was wasted. But, the commission denied. Now, it is ordering repolling on its own after three days of polling…I’m unable to understand,” he said, adding that even election observer’s report did not recommend repoll.
The senior SAD leader argued that the repoll was ordered on booths which witnessed up to 90 percent voting. “One of the booths in Johal village, where EC ordered repolling, has recorded 90 percent polling,” he added.
His rival and Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate Himmat Singh Shergill, soon after the EC’s orders, went into huddle to discuss the next strategy. AAP, a day before, had maintained that it didn't want re-election at any place in Punjab. Sources maintained that the AAP volunteers would be campaigning in the constituency, going door-to-door to ensure people go out to vote for the party.
EC ORDERS PAID lEAVE AT RE-POllING STATIONS
To facilitate the voters to exercise their franchise, the Election Commission has ordered paid leave wherever the re-poll is announced on February 9.