Page 163 - General Election

agents to simultaneously view symbols being loaded in the VVPAT on a big monitor

or TV screen.

During the Preparation of VVPAT, the test printout of the Serial numbers, names
and symbols of candidates loaded in VVPAT is mandated to be taken by the

Returning officer /Assistant Returning officer at the time of preparation for cross
checking with the ballot paper in Ballot Unit. Thereafter, one vote to each candidate
including NOTA is cast to check that the VVPAT is printing the paper slips correctly
in respect of all the candidates.

Changing of thermal paper roll is strictly prohibited at polling stations. In case, the
thermal paper roll gets exhausted by any chance, a reserve VVPAT is used as
replacement.

4. In the conventional system, before the commencement of poll, the
Presiding Officer shows to the polling agents present that the ballot box to

be used in the polling station is empty. Is there any such provision to satisfy
the polling agents that there are no hidden votes already recorded in the
EVMs?

Yes. On the Poll Day before the commencement of poll, the Presiding Officer
demonstrates to the polling agents present that there are no “hidden” votes
already recorded in the CU by pressing the result button on CU. The CU display
shows zero vote against all candidates.

Similarly, the P.O also opens the ballot compartment of VVPAT and shows to polling
agents that it is empty.

Thereafter, he/she conducts a Mock -Poll with at least 50 votes in the presence of

the polling agents and tallies the electronic result stored in the CU with VVPAT slip
count. After mock poll, the Presiding Officer presses the “Clear Button” to clear the
result of the mock poll before commencing the actual poll. Then he again

demonstrates to polling agents, by pressing 'Total' button that CU display shows '0'
votes and that VVPAT ballot compartment is empty. He then seals the Control Unit
and VVPAT in the presence of polling agents before starting actual poll.

5. In the conventional system, it will be possible to know the total number of
votes polled at any particular point of time. In EVMs 'Result' portion is
sealed and will be opened only at the time of counting. How can the total

number of votes polled be known on the date of poll?

In addition to the 'Result' button, there is a ‘Total’ button on Control Unit of EVMs.
By pressing this button any time during poll, the total number of votes polled up to

the time of pressing the button will be displayed without indicating the candidate-
wise result. At the end of poll, the ‘Close’ button is pressed after which the machine
does not accept any more votes. By pressing the Total button at end of poll, the

total number of votes polled in the CU after poll is obtained and recorded by the

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