ECI's new protocol for symbol loading units after SC order
The Election Commission of India has introduced a new protocol for managing and storing symbol loading units (SLUs) following the Supreme Court's directive last week. The court's mandate requires these machines to be sealed, securely contained, and stored in a fortified room with Electronic Voting Machines for 45 days after election results are announced. "The...protocols are applicable in all cases of completion of the symbol loading process in the VVPATs undertaken on or after May 1, 2024," the commission said.
Why does this story matter?
On April 26, the apex court dismissed all petitions seeking 100% verification of votes cast through EVMs using the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips. Following this, the Supreme Court issued two orders to the poll body. It stated that upon completion of the symbol loading process in the VVPAT on or after May 1, 2024, the SLU should be sealed and stored in containers for at least 45 days.
What does the revised protocol say
According to the the revised protocols, "Only the Reserve SLUs and their accessories shall be handed over to the authorised BEL/ECIL engineers in the presence of candidates/their representatives and their signatures shall be obtained in the Register. Proceeding of the same shall be made and placed in the SLU Inventory Register." "The used SLUs will continue to be stored in the SLU Storage Room until the completing of counting of results," the ECI said.
Supreme Court's directive on SLU storage and inspection
The ECI has communicated these new protocol to all state chief electoral officers, instructing them to establish necessary facilities and measures for enforcement. SLUs play a pivotal role in uploading candidate names and symbols onto VVPAT. Before this directive, SLUs were handled by local election officials and engineers from BEL or ECIL, who also manufactured ballot units, control units, VVPAT along with SLUs.
Transparency measures in symbol loading process
In a bid to increase transparency, a feature was introduced some years ago allowing candidates or their representatives to observe the symbol loading process on a TV monitor. This move came as part of an ongoing effort to ensure fair and transparent elections. India is currently holding its 18th Lok Sabha election to elect 543 members to the Lower House. The results for the same will be declared on June 4.
