VVPAT verification may delay LS results by a day

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha election results may be delayed a day due to increased number of VVPAT verification, sources in the Election Commission said on Wednesday. "As per the previous plan, the results of the elections are scheduled to be declared on May 23. But the results may be delayed, and the final results may be declared to May 24 due to increased number of VVPAT verifications," the official said, requesting anonymity.

Explaining the reason behind the delay, the EC official said that an increase in the number of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) verification from one to five polling booths in each Assembly segment of a Parliamentary constituency, as directed by the apex court on April 8, could delay the counting by more than five-six hours and the final tally is likely to be clear on May 24.