Paper trail Electronic Voting Machines in civic polls

Khammam/Warangal: For the first time in Telangana, the State Election Commission (SEC) will use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system attached to the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) on a pilot basis in the ensuing municipal corporation elections scheduled for March 6.

The decision comes in the wake of recent allegations of massive tampering of the EVMs to favour the ruling TRS in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections.

While the SEC has decided to implement the VVPAT on pilot basis in the 40 polling stations in the election to Khammam Municipal Corporation, the possibility of enforcing the same in the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation is under consideration.

The VVPAT system that allays fears of political parties facilitates the voter to see a printout of the symbol of the candidate to whom he has voted. When a vote is cast, a printer-like apparatus linked to the EVMs called VVPAT generates a receipt showing the serial number, name and symbol of the chosen candidate.

The printout can only be seen through a glass window. The voter is not allowed to take the printout home. The printout retained by the machine will be used as proof of the votes polled to each candidate in case political parties raise any objection regarding to the genuineness of the EVMs.

It may be mentioned here that after the recent GHMC polls in which the TRS recorded a huge victory, the Congress leaders raised a hue and cry over stating that there was a possibility of tampering of EVMs by the ruling party. The leaders also demanded implementation of constitutional provision of VVPAT in municipal elections besides moving the High Court.

Against this backdrop, the State Election Commission which already issued orders to implement VVPAT system in 40 polling stations in Khammam on a pilot basis is also verifying the possibility of using the system in Warangal.

The Khammam district election authority has invited officials, media persons and candidates in the poll fray to create awareness about the machine on Monday. Speaking to The Hans India, GWMC Commissioner Sarfaraz Ahmad said: “As of now, we haven’t received any such guidelines from the EC.”

Welcoming the EC’s initiative in Khammam, the Congress Deputy Floor Leader in the Council Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy said: “The system is a step towards winning the public trust in election process. It’s even better if the system is used in all 267 polling stations.”