Page 156 - General Election

VVPAT Complaint – Rule 49MA of Conduct of Elections Rules 1961

It’s necessary to note that VVPAT defects in field can be wrongly dubbed as EVM
failure. VVPAT, essentially a mechanical printer with lots of sensors may have a
failure rate of 5-6%. However, during polls, if a VVPAT is defective, only VVPAT is

changed and not the EVM.

In case a voter complains of wrong printing by VVPAT,

• He/She will report to Presiding Officer

• Presiding Officer will take a declaration explaining that if found false he/she
can be penalized
• PO will then record in 17A and permit him/her to cast a ‘test vote’ in presence

of PO and Polling Agents
• If found false PO will record in 17A and 17C so that the test vote is not
counted

• If found true then PO will stop poll and report to RO

VVPAT Recounting Process

• Counting of votes according to Rule 56C of Conduct of Election Rules, 1961

• After announcement of result any candidate/his agent may apply in writing
to the RO for counting of paper slips of VVPAT, under rule 56D
• The RO shall pass a speaking order on whether the slip counting to be allowed

• Till date in 16 instances RO has allowed slip counting since 2017, all counts
matched

• Mandatory Verification of VVPAT slips of 1 randomly, selected PS per AC done
in all States – 100% match, as expected, was found
• So far, VVPAT slip count has been done in 1500 randomly selected PS and all

these counts matched

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