The Election Commission of India has issued directions to the Chief Electoral Officers in all states and Union Territories that the EVM and postal ballot counting can be done together, reported The Hindu.
The VVPAT slips counting can start as per the procedure, after the EVM counting is completed. With the introduction of Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) and casting of postal ballot by election duty staff, the number of postal ballot papers for counting has gone up considerably, said the ECI.