EC receives 8 applications for EVM verification post-LS results
New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) has received eight applications from aggrieved candidates, including those from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress, requesting verification of potential tampering or modification in the micro-controller chips embedded in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used during the recent Lok Sabha elections. The demands for verification have arisen following the declaration of election results on June 4.
Despite the Supreme Court’s dismissal of claims regarding EVM manipulation as “unfounded,” the court had previously allowed unsuccessful candidates who finished second or third to seek verification of the micro-controller chips in up to five per cent of EVMs per Assembly constituency. This provision was established through a written request and payment of a fee to the Election Commission.
Among the notable applicants, BJP candidate Sujay Vikhe-Patil from Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, who lost to Nilesh Lanke of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), has sought verification for EVMs from 40 polling stations. Additionally, candidates from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) have also submitted requests for EVM verification.
The Election Commission revealed that eight parliamentary seats across six states are involved in these verification requests, covering a total of 92 polling stations. According to the EC’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the verification cost is Rs 47,200 per EVM set. This cost, submitted by manufacturers Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), includes Rs 40,000 plus 18% GST per set.
The SOP further details that beyond manufacturing costs, additional administrative expenses such as labour, CCTV coverage, electricity, videography, and other operational costs are incurred at the district election officer level. However, to make the process more accessible and inclusive as mandated by the Supreme Court, these administrative expenses will be borne by the central or state government and not charged to the applicants.
For the current financial year 2024-25, the charges for EVM verification are set until March 31, 2025. Each EVM set includes at least one Ballot Unit, one Control Unit, and a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine.
In a related development, candidates from the YSRCP and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) have applied for EVM checks following the Assembly results announcement on June 4. The Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh were conducted simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.
For Assembly poll result verifications, three Assembly constituencies are involved, with requests covering 26 polling stations. The concerned state chief electoral officers (CEOs) have already communicated the consolidated list of applicants to the manufacturers well ahead of the July 4 deadline.
The EC will issue a technical SOP outlining the methodology and steps for verifying the burnt memory and micro-controller of the EVM units in due course.
