EC rejects Opposition's demand to count VVPAT slips first

New Delhi [India], May 22 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday rejected the demand of 22 political parties to count VVPAT slips before the commencement of counting of votes registered in EVMs. The delegation had met the ECI on May 21.
The ECI rejected the opposition parties' demand on the basis of the impracticability of its implementation and cited the SC order on the subject.
"The Commission deliberated on the issue with senior officials dealing with this issue in ECI. After two rounds of in-depth discussions yesterday and today, it has neither been found possible nor feasible to accede to this demand in the overall context and especially in view of the judgment of Honourable Supreme Court in Writ Petition (C) No.273 of 2019 delivered on April 8. The said judgment directs that the random selection of VVPATs shall be subjected to the process of slip verification as per the guidelines 16.6 of EVM Manual in force," said a release issued by the ECI.
"There were some other procedural issues like allowing counting agents of candidates along with all Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers on which necessary instructions have already been reiterated and wherever required made more candidate-friendly," the release added.
The ECI, however, had assured the members of the delegation and the voters of the country that the entire counting process, especially guarding the strong rooms and counting centres, was being done in an absolutely fair and transparent manner. (ANI)