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Symbol Loading Units (SLU)
Context:
In accordance with the Supreme Court’s order, the Election Commission of India (ECI) brought out a detailed protocol for the handling and storage of Symbol Loading Units (SLU).
More on News:
- Along with the electronic voting machines (EVMs), SLUs should be sealed and stored in a strongroom for at least 45 days after the declaration of results.
- At present, only the three components of the EVM — the ballot unit, control unit, and VVPAT — are retained for 45 days following the declaration of results.
About SLUs:
- The SLU records the names and symbols of candidates contesting a seat on Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).
- VVPATs help voters verify their votes as they see a slip with a printed image of the party symbol they voted for.
- The accurate printing of symbols by the VVPAT requires loading the correct candidate list and symbols onto the machine in the proper sequence.
- This task is fulfilled by the SLU. In fact, the adoption of VVPATs made the utilisation of SLUs imperative.
SLUs Use and Afterward:
- It becomes relevant during the commissioning of EVMs and the finalisation of the list and order of contesting candidates.
- It can happen at any time from five to two days before voting at a seat.
- The SLU is of no relevance after loading of symbols on EVMs..
- After the symbol-loading process is finished, the SLUs are transferred to the relevant district election officer for safekeeping.
- They remain under the officer’s supervision until the day following the voting.
- The SLUs are then handed over to Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) or Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) to use them in subsequent phases.
