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Election Commission Revises Protocol on Storage of Symbol Loading Units Following Supreme Court Order In response to the recent directive from the Supreme Court, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a revised protocol for the handling and storage of symbol loading units (SLUs), officials announced on Wednesday. Background The apex court's latest order on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) controversy mandated that the machines must be sealed and securely stored in containers within strongrooms for a minimum of 45 days post-declaration of election results. Implementation Details In an official statement released on Wednesday, the Election Commission instructed all state Chief Electoral Officers to establish the necessary infrastructure and provisions to implement the updated protocols for handling and storing SLUs. "The revised protocols, as mandated by the Supreme Court, apply to all instances of symbol loading...

NCP(SP) Leader Jitendra Awhad Faces Legal Action for Posting Fake Video on Manipur Elections Case Registered Against NCP (SP) Leader Jitendra Awhad A case has been registered against the Nationalist Congress Party Case (Sharadchandra Pawar) against NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad for posting a fake video; Manipur CEO issues fake news alert (NCP (SP) ) leader Jitendra Awhad for allegedly posting a fake video related to the Manipur elections. The video purported a mismatch between the button pressed in the Ballot Unit and the Paper Slip generated through the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in Manipur's Khurai Assembly Segment Polling Station. Charges Filed by Manipur Police The Manipur Police has charged Awhad with various offenses under sections 120-B, 203, 505(1)(2), 171-C, 171-E of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and sections 123 and 136 of the Representation of the People Act. These include criminal conspiracy, providing false information, statements causing publ...

Supreme Court Rejects Petitions for 100% Verification of EVM Votes with VVPAT Slips In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court of India has dismissed all petitions seeking 100% verification of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) votes with their Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips. Additionally, the court declined the prayer to revert to the paper ballot voting system, asserting the credibility and safety of the current electoral process. Directions by the Supreme Court The apex court issued two crucial directions in light of the petitions. Firstly, it mandated the sealing of the Symbol Loading Unit (SLU) in containers after the completion of the symbol loading process, to be stored securely for a minimum of 45 days. Secondly, it ruled that the burnt memory in the microcontroller EVM shall be subject to verification by a team of engineers post the declaration of results, upon request by candidates within seven days. The expenses for such verification are to be borne by the c...

Ensuring Electoral Integrity: Supreme Court Seeks Clarity on EVM-VVPAT Verification Supreme Court Seeks Clarification on EVM Verification: The Supreme Court recently sought clarification from Election Commission of India (ECI) officials regarding pleas seeking 100% verification of votes cast using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips. This move comes in response to a batch of petitions aiming for comprehensive cross-verification of EVM votes with VVPAT records. Queries Raised by the Bench: During the hearing, the bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta posed several questions to an ECI official regarding the functionality of EVMs, particularly inquiring whether the microcontrollers embedded in them are reprogrammable. The bench sought clarity on the placement of microcontrollers, whether in the controlling unit or the VVPAT, and whether the flash memory of these microcontrollers can be reprogrammed. Official Response and Cou...