State level workshop with media on Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail
Morung Express News
Kohima | November 10
The State level workshop with media on awareness of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) was held at Hotel Japfü, Kohima on November 10.
The VVPAT which will be made mandatory in all future elections in the Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies is a system attached with the EVM that allows the voter to verify their votes through a paper slip display.
N. Moa Aier, Addl. CEO informed that the Election Commission introduced the VVPAT in Nagaland in 2013 during the By-election in Noksen 51 Constituency which received positive response. A brief introduction to VVPAT was given by R. Mhathung, ACEO where the history of EVM and VVPAT was highlighted. “The VVPAT has been introduced to ensure that the voting process provides full satisfaction to the voters,” said Mhathung.
“There is no election without the VVPAT,” said Abhijit Sinha, IAS, CEO Nagaland while highlighting the concept of the machine which aims to increase transparency. He expressed hope that the VVPAT will further enhance the transparency and verifiability in poll process.
Considering the significance of the media in spreading awareness, Sinha noted the importance of training the media first to disseminate the information.
During the workshop, the use of VVPAT was demonstrated by the master trainers who pointed out that the machine has four compartments that is paper roll compartment, connector compartment, battery compartment and paper slip drop box. The machine has its own unique serial number and specifically assigned for a particular polling station.
Further the polling team has no authority to open the box except for changing the batteries. “Earlier the beep sound appears right after pushing the button on the EVM, however with the introduction of the VVPAT, the beep sounds appears only after the paper slip in the machine drops down in the drop box,” pointed out the trainer.
A discussion was also followed after the demonstration where Abhijit Sinha urged for the strengthening of the system, ensuring ethical voting and behavioral changes to ensure free and fair elections.
VVPAT is an independent system attached with the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) that allows the voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended. It is attached to the ballot unit of EVM and both machines are placed in the voting compartment.
The system has a small transparent glass window. When the voter comes to vote and presses the blue button on the Ballot Unit (BU) to vote for the candidate of his or her choice, the glass window on the VVPAT lights up and a printed paper slip containing the serial number, name of the Candidate and Election Symbol of the candidate appears on the glass window for the voter to view.
The slip remains visible to the voter for seven seconds after which the paper slip gets automatically cut and falls into the sealed printed paper slip compartment which will be followed by a beep sound. Following which the light goes off behind the glass window.
After the votes have been counted using Control Unit of EVM and the result sheet is prepared and announced by the Returning Officer (RO), the candidate/ election agent/counting agent may apply in writing to the RO to count the printed paper slips accumulated in the drop box of VVPAT in respect of any polling station giving the reasons for such requests.
The Election Commission of India has directed that the VVPAT shall be used with EVMs at all polling stations in all the future elections to the Parliament and State Legislatives assemblies.
