All you need to know about counting of votes

The work of the Election Commission is not over yet as the judgement day is still awaited. With just one day in between, results are set to be declared on May 23.

However the results might take longer and will only declared towards the early morning next due to the long process of counting involved to ensure fair results.

According to reports, EVMS along with VVPAT paper slips will be counted in special and secured booths which will be closely supervised by the Returning Officer and the oversight of the observer.

As per an Economic Times report, every polling booth will have VVPAT counting rooms set up in it, which will be enclosed by a wire mesh to prohibit unauthorised people from paper slips' access.

As per a Supreme Court of India (SC) directive, VVPAT slips of at least five EVMs in each Assembly segment in a Lok Sabha constituency will be tallied. These five EVMs will be selected by drawing of lots in the presence of political party candidates.

The SC in its order said, such practise will ensure "greatest degree of accuracy, satisfaction" in the counting process.

As per, Election Commission guidelines, if any discrepancy is found in the vote count between EVMs and VVPATs, then, the latter will be considered. The final result sheet will also be amended as per the VVPAT paper slips count.

It may be noted that the whole counting process will be filmed by the authorities.

"As per Rule 56D (4) (b) of the Conduct of Elections Rules 1961, if there is any discrepancy between EVM count and paper slip count, the paper slip count shall prevail. Hence, if there is discrepancy between the count of votes displayed on the Control Unit and the count of printed-paper slips in respect of that Polling Station, the result sheet will be amended as per the printed-paper slips count," read the Election Commission manual.