The Election Commission has received eight applications from aggrieved candidates, including those from the BJP and Congress, seeking verification of potential tampering or modification in micro-controller chips within EVMs following the declaration of Lok Sabha election results on June 4.

The Supreme Court dismissed concerns of EVM manipulation on April 26 saying they are “unfounded”, and dismissed the demand to revert to old paper ballot system. However, unsuccessful candidates securing second or third places are allowed to request verification of micro-controller chips in 5 per cent of EVMs per assembly constituency upon payment to the poll panel.

Sujay Vikhe-Patil, BJP candidate from Ahmednagar (Maharashtra), sought verification from 40 polling stations after losing to Nilesh Lanke of NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction. YSRCP and DMDK candidates have also applied for verification, according to Election Commission data.

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The verification requests span eight parliamentary seats across six states. The total number of polling stations for which verification has been sought is 92.

Under the Election Commission’s Standard Operating Procedure issued on June 1, candidates seeking EVM verification must pay Rs 47,200 per EVM set. Manufacturers BEL and ECIL charge Rs 40,000 per set, plus 18 per cent GST, for EVM checks.

Administrative costs like labour, CCTV coverage, and electricity are also factored in, with the Election Commission deciding to treat these as election expenditure to facilitate the verification process as mandated by the Supreme Court.

It, however, said to make the verification process “more accessible” and inclusive in compliance to the referred mandate of the Supreme Court, it is decided that instead of going purely by the actual economic costs incurred, the administrative expenditure on EVM verification will be treated as “election expenditure and borne by the central or state government, as the case may be”.

“Accordingly, the administrative charges will be waived for the applicants — the same shall not be charged to the applicants,” it noted.

3 applications received for Odisha, Andhra Pradesh state polls

Further, YSRCP and BJD candidates from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have applied for EVM checks following assembly results announced on June 4. Three assembly constituencies with 26 polling stations are involved in this verification exercise.

State chief electoral officers were required to convey the consolidated list of applicants to manufacturers within 30 days of result declaration, ahead of the July 4 deadline, the Election Commission said.

Technical guidelines for verifying EVM units will be issued in due course.