Overview of Vote Counting and Result Dissemination in General Elections 2019
The Election Commission of India (ECI) ensures transparent and timely dissemination of election results via its official website (https://results.eci.gov.in) and the Voter Helpline Mobile App (available on iOS and Android). Updates begin at 8:00 a.m. on the Counting Day and continue throughout the day.
Vote Categories Counted:
EVM Votes: Cast by over 91.1 crore general voters at polling stations.
Postal Ballots: Returned by more than 18 lakh service voters and polling personnel, including those serving outside their constituencies, especially relevant in simultaneous elections.
Voter Turnout Data:
Provisional voter turnout percentages are displayed on the ECI website and Voter Helpline App during polling.
This data is compiled by Returning Officers (ROs) based on reports from Sector Magistrates and Presiding Officers.
Turnout figures include male/female breakups and are marked provisional, subject to change, as clearly stated on the website.
Counting Procedure:
Postal ballots received up to 8:00 a.m. on counting day are first pre-counted.
Valid postal ballots are then added to EVM votes.
The combined totals determine the candidate-wise vote count.
The winning candidate receives a return certificate (Form 21E) from the Returning Officer.
Final Data Preparation:
Form 21E (return of election) and the Index Card are prepared by the RO, detailing vote breakups including tendered votes.
The Index Card, a longstanding tool used for over five decades, provides the authenticated final data for research and analysis.
For the 2019 General Elections, all ROs were instructed to submit Index Cards within 15 days post-results.
Improvements Over Previous Elections:
Unlike past elections, where authenticated data collection took months (2-3 months in 2014), IT initiatives have accelerated this process.
Final vote data is now available within days of result declaration.
The reconciliation of voter data across all 542 parliamentary constituencies is complete, and final data will be publicly released soon.
Important Clarification:
Provisional turnout figures are estimates and not final counts.
Therefore, it is incorrect to infer the existence of “ghost voters” based solely on provisional data.
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