All Polling booths of Assam to have VVPAT machines in 2019 Lok Sabha polls

February 27: Mukesh Chandra Sahu, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said at Guwahati on Wednesday that all polling stations in Assam will have Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system during the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections this year. CEO Sahu further said that VVPAT slips will be counted along with the votes punched into the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) from randomly selected polling stations and tally with the counted votes.

Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Chandru Sahu also said that voters can now apply online for correcting their names in the voters’ list or by downloading the Voter Helpline app, besides ‘Subidha’ app for checking candidates nomination papers, their affidavits and government dues.

VVPAT awareness campaign has begun across the state with voters participating in mock voting to familiarise themselves with the device.This awareness programme is going on in all the districts of Assam. The Assembly Level Master Trainers (ALTs) are deputed for carrying out this awareness programme.

Voter Verified Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT) is a way of giving feedback to voters using ballot-free voting system. Its purpose is to confirm the authenticity of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). This arrangement reveals to the voter whether he has voted or not. VVPAT is a kind of printer connected to EVM.

When a vote is cast then it displays a receipt for 7 seconds. On this slip, the order number, name and election symbol of the candidate are displayed. Once the receipt appears, it goes into the container attached to the EVM.

The Election Commission has claimed that 100% VVPAT machine will be used in the Lok Sabha elections to be held in 2019. The Commission has said that in view of the elections, the purchase process of 16.15 lakh new machines is being completed. For VVPAT machines, the EC had tied up with the Bangalore Electronic Company Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India located in Hyderabad.