NEW DELHI: The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday announced a significant change to the counting process for postal ballots, mandating that all postal ballot papers must be counted before the penultimate round of EVM/VVPAT counting begins. The revised procedure will be implemented for the first time in Bihar, where assembly elections are scheduled for November.
This marks a return to the pre-May 2019 system, under which postal ballots were prioritized during counting. The 2019 rule change had allowed EVM counting to proceed regardless of the status of postal ballot counting—raising concerns that final results could be declared even before postal ballots were fully tallied.
During the 2024 general elections, the INDIA bloc had strongly opposed the 2019 change, arguing that in several constituencies, the margin of victory was narrower than the number of postal ballots polled. They raised concerns about the potential impact of rejected or validated postal ballots on tightly contested results and urged the EC to adhere strictly to Rule 54A of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, which mandates that “the returning officer shall first deal with the postal ballot papers.”
While the 30-minute head start for counting postal ballots ahead of EVMs remains unchanged, the EC clarified that the new rule ensures postal ballots are no longer sidelined or overtaken by faster EVM counts.
This revision marks the Election Commission’s 30th reform in six months, and the EC said the update was necessary due to a significant rise in the volume of postal ballots, including those cast by service voters, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.
By reinstating the earlier procedure, the EC aims to ensure greater transparency and fairness—especially in closely contested elections—while aligning with legal provisions and public expectations.
