Delhi polls: Know how your votes are counted

New Delhi: With the introduction of electronic voting machines (EVMs), counting has become easier. Gone are the days, when large bins used to be kept, and counting officials used to pore over long ballot papers to count the votes. It was a tedious job, and almost the entire day, and in some cases, till the next day, the counting used to get over. Cashiers from public sector banks used to do this job, but no more.Nowadays EVM counting is over within a span of few hours, if the contesting parties have no red flag to raise. Here, in a nutshell, is how an EVM counting progresses. Step 1 - The counting of postal ballots begins first, and half an hour later, the EVM votes are counted. Step 2 - EVMs are brought out of the strongroom to the counting area through a "properly barricaded" path to avoid any chance of tampering.Step 3 : A maximum of 14 EVMs are opened at one time, on separate tables inside the counting area. Step 4 : One set of 14 EVMs correspond to one round of counting. Step 5 : At each counting table, sits an election official and one election agent belonging to each of the candidates. Step 6 : The election official handling the EVM and the election agents are separated by a wire mesh to avoid any attempt at tampering. Step 7 : Before the actual counting begins, the election official inspects the paper seals and other seals affixed on each of the carrying case and the EVM inside it to ensure that the unit has not been tampered with. Step 8 : The election officials switches on the EVM and presses the result button to see the votes recorded against each candidate. Step 9: The result is then entered on Form 17C, which is then countersigned by election agents and handed over to the Returning Officer, the man who ultimately declares the result. Step 10: In a similar manner, all Form 17Cs from the other 13 tables are handed over to the Returning Officer, who then tabulates the results of the first round of counting. The result is displayed on a black and white board and announced over the public address system. Step 11: The round-wise results are electronically communicated to the Chief Electoral Officer of the state. Step 12: The Returning Officer hands over the election certificate to the winning candidate, and at the end of the day, the CEO sends a list of all winners alongwith the results to the Election Commission for publication in the Gazette of India.This is how the final results are declared, the winner candidates in garlands and their supporters dance and take out processions, while the losers stay glum wherever they are. And a new government comes to power to decide the destiny of your state for the next five years. 8 THIS INFORMATION is then entered on what is called Form 17C, which is then counter-signed by the election agents and handed over to the Returning Offi cer 9 SIMILARLY, ALL FORM 17CS from other 13 tables are handed over to the Returning Officer, who tabulates the results of Round One of counting. This result is displayed prominently on a black-&-white board, and also simultaneously announced outside the counting area through a publicaddress system THE ROUND-WISE results are also 10 communicated to the Chief Electoral Officer of the state. This goes on till the final results are declared