BEL engineers did not follow protocol: EC on extra slips with BJP symbols from VVPAT
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The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Kerala, Sanjay Kaul, attributed the discrepancies in a mock poll conducted in the Kasaragod constituency, where the VVPAT machine printed extra slips with the symbol of the BJP, to lapses on the part of engineers from Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL).
According to the investigation conducted by the Returning Officer (RO) Inbasekar Kalimuthu, the issue stemmed from a lapse by engineers from Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL), the company responsible for manufacturing the VVPAT machines.
During the commissioning process, certain machines were taken to the next stage without completing the printing of standardization slips, leading to the printing of additional slips when the machines were restarted.
The report highlighted that the BEL engineers failed to adhere to the protocol of ensuring the full printing of symbols before disconnecting, resulting in the erroneous printing of extra slips with the BJP's lotus symbol. However, it was emphasized that these additional slips were marked as 'not to be counted' and did not impact the actual voting process.
The RO confirmed that one of the VVPAT machines, with serial number VVTED49299, underwent a mock poll where 1,000 votes were cast. The count was tallied with the machine count, and party agents were reassured of the accuracy of the process. Additionally, comprehensive CCTV footage was available to substantiate the transparency of the proceedings.
Further scrutiny revealed that the root cause of the problem lay in the premature disconnection of the machines by BEL engineers, leading to the printing of incomplete slips. The RO underscored that such lapses were avoidable had proper protocols been followed, holding the engineers personally responsible for the oversight.
The issue gained national attention when it was brought before the Supreme Court during a hearing on the verification of all VVPAT slips during elections. However, the Election Commission of India (ECI) swiftly addressed the matter, affirming that the news report alleging extra votes for the BJP was false.
In response to the Supreme Court's directive, the ECI reassured the court that the incident in Kerala had been thoroughly investigated and resolved. The commission reiterated its commitment to ensuring the integrity and transparency of the electoral process, emphasizing the importance of stringent protocols and oversight in the commissioning and operation of voting machines.