Ahead of the June 4 Lok Sabha elections 2024 results, the Election Commission of India on Monday stressed that the entire counting mechanism is robust and the whole process is codified in a manner that there can be no error even as Opposition parties raised concerns regarding the counting of votes.

“Entire counting process is absolutely robust. We don’t think anywhere there is a robust system like it. Every part is decided. The whole process is codified. Micro observers are in place. There cannot be any mistake in this process. Lakhs of people including counting officials, counting agents, micro-observers, ROs/AROs, Observers present during the world’s largest counting exercise. Before the elections, EVMs were randomised. All candidates and agents were present to observe those who were present at the booth,” CEC Rajiv Kumar said at the press conference in Delhi.

Kumar further clarified that postal ballots will be counted first and EVM votes will be counted only half an hour later.

“Section 54 A of RPA Act was introduced in 1954. At that time, there were not many people for postal ballots. In all centres, counting of postal ballots will start first. After only half an hour, EVM counting will start. It happened in 2019, it happened in all 2022 Assembly elections, it happened yesterday also in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim,” the CEC said.

Reacting to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s allegations that Home Minister Amit Shah has called 150 DMs and collectors to influence the Election results, CEC Kumar said “it’s not right to spread a rumour and doubt everyone.”

“Can someone influence them (district magistrates/returning officers) at all? Tell us who did this. We will punish the person who did it…It is not right that you spread a rumour and doubt everyone,” Rajiv Kumar said.

Earlier on Sunday, a delegation of the INDIA bloc leaders met with the Election Commission of India to discuss issues related to the counting of votes.

In their meeting with the poll body, the INDIA bloc said that ECI should issue clear, detailed guidelines for the counting process on June 4.