The Commission on Elections expressed confidence Sunday that with the use of 82,200 Precinct Count Optical Scan machines, the transmission and consolidation of results and proclamation of winning candidates for the May 10, 2010 polls will be finished in six days.

In past elections, all conducted manually, it took the Comelec weeks or even months to finish such activities, giving rise to doubts about cheating and other anomalies.

The Comelec, led by Chairman Jose A.R. Melo, said it is supremely confident that the most crucial phase of this year’s major political exercise will be finished in six days, or by May 16, 2010.

As such, the poll body has deputized the National Electrification Administration, the National Power Corp. and local electrification cooperatives, including their respective heads, requiring them to provide and maintain stable and continuous nationwide power supply from May 10 to 16.

The Comelec has approved en banc Resolution 8715 describing May 10 to 16, 2010 as six critical days when sufficient uninterrupted power supply is imperative.

The resolution, signed by Melo and Commissioners Rene V. Sarmiento, Nicodemo T. Ferrer, Lucenito N. Tagle, Armando C. Velasco,Elias R. Yusoph and Gregorio Y. Larrazabal, authorized NEA, NPC, and all power coops to shut off other power users such as industries and large commercial establishments to ensure power supply for election activities.

The Comelec further told the power firms to secure, as much as possible, voluntary load curtailment commitments from industries and large establishments prior to exercising their powers of unilaterally curtailing the power needs of industries and large establishments.

“Give priority to the electrical power needs at the distribution and retrieval centers, voting and counting places at the precinct level and at the canvassing centers,” Comelec told the power firms. (With a report from Elena L. Aben)

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales has assured the public that the electoral process will push through as scheduled in May and that government will make sure there will be no failure of elections.

Gonzales also gave assurance that the Armed Forces will not be involved in any electoral fraud or cheating, saying military personnel who will get involved in such acts will be dismissed.

He added the government is now also finding ways to address the issue on vote buying.