1. COUNTING OF VOTES IN EVMs Ref :1) Handbook of Returning Officers,2016 2) ECI No. 470/INST/2014-EPS Dated 30.04.14

2. Counting of votes by EVMs Legal provisions Sec.64 of R.P. Act, 1951 Rule.66A of C.E. Rules, 1961 Counting of votes by EVMs to be done under the supervision and direction of the RO. Candidate/ election agent/ counting agents have right to be present.

3. HALL ARRANGEMENT  To be counted in main counting Hall,  If counted in more than one hall, prior approval is to be taken from ECI,  RO, ARO, Observer, compilation team will be seated in the hall.  Every table of counting is to be provided with :- (a) One ballpoint pen of blue ink, (b) A paper knife for breaking open the seals of CUs, (c) Proforma for recording votes secured by each candidate and NOTA, by Micro Observers ( preprinted) (d) Proforma of Form 17 C part II (preprinted) (e) Format for table wise round wise proceedings (f) Round wise movement sheet of EVMs

4. COUNTING PERSONNEL Sl N o Category of personnel NumberSourceConditions 1. Counting Supervisor( to be appointed by RO) One per counting table (as approved by ECI) +20% reserve Gazetted Officer of Central/state Govt or undertakings 1. Not to appoint anyone who has been employed by or on behalf of, or has otherwise been working for a candidate in an election. 2. Staff of local bodies should not be used. 3. Must not be deployed in the AC where he resides or works. 2. Counting Assistant ( to be appointed by RO) One per counting table (as approved by ECI) +20% reserve.+ one for assisting Observer in parallel counting. Officers with good competence & skill 3. Micro Observer ( to be appointed by Observer) One per counting table (as approved by ECI) +20% reserve. + one for tabulation + one for assisting Observer in checking printouts Central Govt/Central Govt PSU employee 4. Counting Assistant for carrying EVMs 7 per strong room Government employee

5. COUNTING AGENTS One counting agent for each table (to be duly appointed through filling up of Form 18 and display Identity Card), Advance intimation to candidates on number of counting tables, table arrangement & EVM Movement Sheet. Candidate/Election Agent may remain present in the counting hall.

6. Some Basic Practices in the counting hall Date of Counting: 19.5.2016 Reporting time for all counting personnel: 6 am To take seat in counting hall : at earmarked table To display : Identity Card Not to do: ×Carry mobile ×Smoking in the hall ×Eating in the hall ×Talking in loud voice Complete discipline and decorum to be maintained. None to leave counting hall without expressed consent of the Retuning Officer.

7. OPENING OF STRONG ROOM To be opened: At fixed time,as intimated to the candidates & Observer. In presence of RO/ARO, candidates,election agets, Observers, Entries to be made in log book, Checking of seals, Videography.

8. SPECIAL INSTRUCTION At the time of Counting of votes PPS of CUs will be verified by the Observer and if it is verified as OK, the CU will be taken up for counting of votes, Otherwise the CU will not be taken up for counting and matter shall be reported to the Commission for necessary directions.

9. COUNTING PROCESS EVM counting starts,after commencement of postal ballot counting, Only CUs and sealed envelopes containing Form 17 C shall be brought to the table as per EVM Movement Sheet, One senior officer to monitor the movement of CUs from strong Room to Counting Hall, one round after another, Then to sealing place, Only after completion of one round in all respect, CUs of next round will be moved to counting hall. An account on such distribution of CUs shall be kept and brought to the notice of RO time to time.

10. COUNTING PROCESS Every round of counting includes:  Placing of CUs & sealed Form 17 C in counting table as per EVM Movement Sheet,  Ascertaining of result from CUs & filling up of Form 17 C part II,  Preparation of Table wise proceeding with signatures of counting agents,  Supply of photocopies of Form 17 C part II to counting agents,  Parallel counting of two randomly selected EVMs,  Round wise tabulation with signature of RO & Observer,  Announcement & display of round wise result by RO,  Shifting of CUs for sealing.

11. STAGES OF TABLE COUNTING Remove the seals from carrying case and take out CU. Allow the counting agents to verify unique numbers of Pink Paper Seal, Outer Paper Seal, Special Tag and Green Paper Seal. Open the outer cover of the ‘Result’ section. Check Special Tag and Green Paper Seal. Switch ‘on’ the control unit.

12. STAGES OF TABLE COUNTING Poll date and poll start time and poll end time displayed on the CU should be verified from the record and shown to the polling agents. Pierce the paper seal over the Result 1 button. Press the ‘Result’ button. Show the display panel to the candidates If required, Result 1 button can be pressed again to enable the candidates/ Counting Agents to note down the result. Then close the cover of Result section. Switch ‘off’ the control unit. Proceeding to be prepared with signatures of c ounting agents.

13. Display in Control Unit

17. PREPARATION OF FORM 17C PART II Candidate wise and for NOTA – Votes to be recorded. To be prepared in duplicate. First copy to be given to RO/ ARO for computing round-wise result. Second Copy- To be used for photocopy. Photocopy – round-wise and table-wise to be given to candidates. Original second copies to be returned back to counting supervisors. Table-wise copies of Form 17C to be kept in an envelope superscribed “Duplicate copy of result of counting in Form 17C Part II”. This envelope is to be handed over to the RO.

18. RANDOM COUNTING In each round, Observer will select two polling stations for random counting, One Additional Counting Staff shall prepare result in prescribed format, Proforma is to be submitted to the Observer only.

19. Recording of votes by Additional Counting Staff 19

20. COMPILATION OF RESULT IN TREND SHEET After every round, Trend Sheet will be prepared from filled up Form 17 C Part II, Trend Sheet will be signed by the Observer & RO, Only after that, round wise result will be announced and displayed in the black board. Then entries will be made in Form 20.

21. Preparation of Trend Sheet (Round wise) Learning Module of RO/ARO21

22. DISCREPANCY IN TIME SL No ProblemAction Point 1Discrepancy in the date and time of start and end of poll displayed in the Control Unit with IST of start and end of poll. Difference will be compared with the date and time noted by Presiding Officer in the mock poll certificate. 2Date and time difference at the time of mock poll does not match with the date and time difference of start and end of poll. EVM will be kept aside and the matter will be referred to the Commission for its decision.

23. Malfunctioning of EVMs sL No Problem/situationAction Point 1.Any Control Unit does not display result It should be kept back inside its carrying case and then be kept in the Returning Officer’s custody in the counting hall. Counting of votes in other machines should continue as usual. 2.After end of counting, where the margin of votes between two candidates is more or less than the total votes polled in that machine (s), RO should try to retrieve the result from this machine, with the help of engineers of BEL/ECIL, using Auxiliary Display Unit (ADU) in the presence of candidates or their election agents.

24. SL NoProblem/situationAction Point 3If the result can be retrieved by using an ADU Result of the election can be declared accordingly. Also Returning Officer and Observer should send a detailed report to the Commission in the format mentioned at Annexure-A. 4If the result from the malfunctioned machine can not be retrieved even by using printer & where the winning margin of vote is more than the votes polled in the malfunctioned EVM Returning Officer and Observer should also send a detailed report to the Commission in the format mentioned at Annexure-B. 5Same but where the winning margin of vote is less than the votes polled in the malfunctioned EVM Returning Officer and Observer should also send a detailed report to the Commission in the format mentioned at Annexure-C.

28. IF ‘CLOSE’ BUTTON IS NOT PRESSED Sl No Problem /situationAction Point 1Any CU does not display result due to not-pressing of “Close” button by the PRO in the polling station at the time of close of poll, It should be kept back inside its carrying case and then be kept in the Returning Officer’s custody in the counting hall. Counting of votes in other machines should continue as usual 2After end of counting, where the margin of votes between two candidates is more or less than the total votes polled in that machine (s), RO/Counting Supervisor shall press the “Total” button of the CU to see the total votes polled in that machine (s).

29. SL No Problem/situationAction Point 3Total votes polled in the machine (s) tallies with the total votes polled mentioned in the Form-17 C. RO/Counting Supervisor shall press the “Close” button of the CU (s) so that “Result” button can be pressed for getting result after explaining the entire issue to the candidates/ their authorized agents and recording a proceeding with their signatures. RO and Observer should send a detailed report to the Commission in the format mentioned at Annexure-D. 4Total votes polled in the machine(s) does not tally with the total votes polled mentioned in the Form-17 C & the margin is more than the votes polled in the CU in question. RO and Observer should send a detailed report to the Commission in the format mentioned at Annexure-E, 5Same but the margin is less.RO and Observer should send a detailed report to the Commission in the format mentioned at Annexure-F.

33. REPLACEMENT OF BATTERY AT THE TIME OF COUNTING ECI No 51/8/7/2014-EMS dt 7.5.2014 In case CU does not display result at the time of counting, battery can be replaced with new one. New batteries to be available in counting centres.

34. REMEMBER In no case of malfunction of CU, the machine should be opened or its outer or inner seals disturbed in any manner. No repairing and replacement of parts of the EVM in the field should be undertaken.

35. RECOUNT When counting is complete & Final Result Sheet in Form 20 is prepared, RO should announce total votes polled by each candidate in Form 20. Pause for a minute or two. If any candidate/agent asks for recount,allow him reasonable time. Exact waiting time shall be intimated by the RO for receiving written application. Recount may be sought for all or some of the polling stations.

36. RECOUNT Candidate demanding recount has to make out a prima facie case citing counting was not accurate or recount is necessary in the interest of justice. In every case, RO should record a brief statement of reasons for the decision. After recount, final result sheet may be corrected, if necessary. Entire process shall be videographed. The decision of the RO will be final.

37. 2 nd RECOUNT 2 nd recount may be filed on ground where margin between the first two candidates is close and where previous recount has shown differing result.

38. ROLE OF OBSERVER Observer will remain present in the counting hall. In each round, two polling stations will be randomly selected by Observer for recording result. Trend sheet will be checked and signed by Observer. Written permission (NOC ) has to be obtained from Observer for declaration of result. Copies of Form 20,21 C,21E will have to be submitted to Observer.

39. SEALING AND STORAGE AFTER COUNTING Powerpack to be removed from Candidate Set Section. Doors of the ‘Candidate Set Section’ and ‘Result Section’ to be sealed with Address tags. Carrying Case to be sealed with new Address Tag. Secret Seal of the Commission and RO’s seal to be put on all seals. All CUs will be kept in the carrying case. Similarly, filled up Form 17 Cs, proceedings shall be sealed. RO, candidates to put signatures on the seals. All CUs should be kept back in the Strong Room under the safe custody of the DEO.

40. Thanks