New Delhi: Complying with the Supreme Court’s order, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued new protocol for dealing with and storage of ‘symbol loading units’ (SLUs) of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) on Wednesday. The electoral authority has carried out this new protocol in response to directives from the Supreme Court in its ruling dated April 26.
About Election Commission’s new protocol
In a press release on Wednesday, the ballot authority directed all state chief electoral officers to create the required infrastructure and provisions to implement the brand new protocols for dealing with and storage of the image loading items.
“In pursuance of the judgment of the Supreme Court of India, dated April 26, 2024, in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 434 of 2023, ECI has issued the brand new protocol for dealing with and storage of Symbol Loading Unit (SLU). All CEOs have been directed to create vital infrastructure and provisions to implement the brand new protocols for dealing with and storage of SLUs,” the ballot physique mentioned.
“As mandated by the Supreme Court, the revised protocols are applicable in all cases of completion of the symbol loading process in the VVPATs undertaken on or after May 1, 2024,” the Commission mentioned.
Supreme Court on Symbol Loading Units
The Supreme Court on April 26 issued instructions to seal and retailer image loading items and in addition paved the way in which for verification of microcontrollers embedded in EVMs on the request of candidates who stand second and third.
It directed that from May 1, the image loading items (SLU) needs to be sealed and secured in a container and saved in a strongroom together with the EVMs no less than for 45 days put up the declaration of outcomes.
“On completion of the symbol loading process in the VVPATs undertaken on or after May 1, 2024, the symbol loading units shall be sealed and secured in a container. The candidates or their representatives shall sign the seal. The sealed containers, containing the symbol loading units, shall be kept in the strong room along with the EVMs at least for a period of 45 days post the declaration of results. They shall be opened, examined and dealt with as in the case of EVMs,” the bench directed.
What is a Symbol Loading Unit ?
The image Loading Unit is accountable for importing the names and symbols of candidates contesting a specific seat onto VVPAT or paper path machines. A couple of years in the past, a characteristic was launched that permits candidates or their representatives to watch the image loading course of on a TV monitor, geared toward enhancing transparency.
What occurred earlier than?
Prior to the Supreme Court directive, the image Storage Units (SLUs) have been transferred to native election officers by engineers from BEL or ECIL. Following the ballot, sometimes inside a day, the SLUs have been returned to engineers from these public sector items, which manufacture the poll unit, management unit, VVPAT, and SLUs.
Previously, EVMs and VVPAT slips have been saved for 45 days after the election outcomes have been declared. During this era, people may file an election petition within the related excessive court docket difficult the election final result. The court docket has the authority to summon the EVMs and VVPAT slips whereas listening to such petitions.
(With PTI inputs)
