Story behind the 2,984 EVM Votes ECI ‘trashed’ in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: In the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission of India discarded a total of 2,984 EVM votes across 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Rajasthan. As per ECI data for Rajasthan, the total number of EVM votes polled was 3,28,35,448. In contrast, the total number of EVM votes that were counted was 3,28,32,464.
Explaining the reason for the difference, chief electoral officer, Rajasthan, Praveen Gupta, said, “As per ECI counting protocol, if there is a mismatch between total votes polled in the control unit and the record of votes documented in Form 17-C, the EVMs are not to be counted.This can be due to human error, or if the presiding officer fails to clear mock poll data from the control unit before actual polling.”

‘Discarded’ EVM votes – where votes counted are less than votes polled – become significant when the margin of victory is tight, as was the case in Jaipur Rural, where BJP’s Rao Rajendra Singh defeated Congress’ Anil Chopra by 1615 votes. In this constituency 852 EVM votes were not counted.

Of Rajasthan’s 25 Lok Sabha constituencies, 19 seats registered additional EVM votes, where the number of EVM votes counted was more than the numbers polled. This number added up to 869.
Additionally, the number of EVM votes discarded in the Jaipur LS seat was 502; 608 in Karauli-Dholpur, 1063 in Tonk-Sawai Madhopur; 583 in Nagaur, and 245 in Jodhpur. Therefore, the total of EVM votes discarded is 3,853. These votes were discarded as the control units were not counted in eight polling stations. These EVMs (CUs) were kept aside for counting towards the end of counting. Since the total votes polled in such polling stations/EVMs (in which CUs or EVMs were kept aside), were lower than the victory margin between the first and the second candidate, the CUs were not counted.
Therefore, the total difference between EVM votes counted and EVM votes polled in the state - the total of EVM votes discarded (3,853) + the total number of additional EVM votes (869) - is 4,722.