Election Commission of India: In response to the Supreme Court’s order issued on April 26, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has unveiled a comprehensive protocol for the management and storage of Symbol Loading Units (SLUs). The apex court’s directives stipulated the sealing and storage of SLUs in a container, alongside electronic voting machines (EVMs), within a strongroom for a minimum of 45 days following the announcement of election results.
- ECI Issues Detailed Protocol for Handling Symbol Loading Units (SLUs) in Compliance with Supreme Court Order
SLUs play a pivotal role in the electoral process by uploading the names and symbols of candidates contesting a specific seat onto Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) or paper trail machines.
SLUs were entrusted to local poll officials by engineers from Bharat Electronics Limited
Previously, SLUs were entrusted to local poll officials by engineers from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) or the ECI before polling commenced. Subsequently, post-election, the SLUs were returned to the engineers of these two public sector undertakings, along with the ballot unit, control unit, and VVPAT.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the ECI instructed all State Chief Electoral Officers to establish the requisite infrastructure for handling and storing SLUs in EVMs, in accordance with the newly established protocols effective from May 1, as mandated by the Supreme Court.
“An adequate number of SLU containers, typically ranging from two to four per Assembly constituency, must be prepared in advance based on anticipated requirements,” stated the ECI.
These revised protocols are applicable to all instances of the completion of the symbol loading process in VVPATs carried out on or after May 1.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court’s ruling also facilitated the verification of micro-controllers embedded in EVMs, as per the requests of candidates who secured the second and third positions in the elections.
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