New Delhi/ Kolkata/ Chennai/ Guwahati/ Thiruvananthapuram: As temperatures rise and political stakes peak, the Election Commission of India has rolled out a tech-driven, multi-layered security and transparency plan for vote counting on May 4 in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Kerala — with a QR code-based entry system emerging as the headline reform.
In what officials describe as a “heat shield against chaos and controversy,” entry into counting centres will now be strictly regulated through QR code-based Photo ID cards generated via ECINet, the Commission’s digital platform.
Only those with authenticated QR credentials — counting staff, candidates and authorised agents — will be allowed inside, effectively sealing off any scope for unauthorised access or last-minute manipulation.
West Bengal has hogged the limelight this time, recording a staggering 92.7 per cent voter turnout — among the highest ever in Indian electoral history, adding both political weight and administrative pressure to the counting exercise in the state.
The contest has turned sharply competitive, with the Bharatiya Janata Party inching fast and closing the gap against the ruling All India Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee.
Amid the tightening race, Banerjee — popularly known as Didi — has flagged serious allegations, claiming attempts by the BJP to use “machinery and intelligence inputs” to influence the outcome, setting the stage for a politically charged counting day.
Extra Eyes on Counting Tables
Alongside the tech push, the Commission has deployed 165 Additional Counting Observers and 77 Police Observers in West Bengal alone, signalling a sharpened focus on the state’s historically sensitive counting process.
These observers have been appointed under Article 324 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1951, giving them full authority under ECI’s supervision.
Additional Counting Observers will assist in constituencies with multiple counting halls, ensuring round-the-clock monitoring of each table and round, while Micro-Observers will independently record results from control units for cross-verification — a parallel audit trail aimed at eliminating disputes.
Police Watch — But Outside the Hall
Police Observers, tasked with maintaining law and order, will keep a tight perimeter around counting centres but won’t be allowed inside counting halls, maintaining a clear line between security and the counting process.
Their role: ensure peaceful, intimidation-free conditions outside, especially in politically sensitive zones.
No Phones, No Exceptions
In another strict directive, mobile phones have been completely banned inside counting halls — except for the Returning Officer and Counting Observer.
This is intended to prevent leaks, misinformation or real-time external influence during counting.
Paper Trail with Accountability
To further reinforce transparency, results from Electronic Voting Machines will be documented through Form 17C-II, prepared in the presence of counting agents and shared with them for signatures after every round. If demanded, the process can be repeated — a built-in mechanism to reduce disputes and build trust.
With four politically crucial states going to counting on the same day, the Commission’s strategy blends technology, manpower and strict protocols to deliver what it calls a “secure, peaceful and transparent” counting process.
