"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
21 Apr 2017 149
After recent elections in five states, various parties have been demanding the use of VVPAT machines in view of EVM tampering allegations.
The Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) unit is linked to the electronic voting machine (EVM). It helps an elector to confirm if the EVM has accurately registered his vote for a particular candidate.
As such ,the Election Commission would get 30,000 new paper trail machines by July. These machines will augment its existing stock of machines wherein it can use these units during the assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat later this year.
The term of the 68-member Himachal Pradesh assembly is going to end on January 7, 2018. The term of the 182-member Gujarat assembly will be ending on January 22, 2018. For both these assemblies, elections may be held in December this year, as per the precedents.
The EC had ordered for 67,000 additional paper trail units in 2015. Till date, 33,500 have been supplied, as per the Law Ministry.The Bharat Electronics Limited and the Electronics Corporation of India Limited supplies EVMs and VVPATS for the Election Commission, according to the Economic Times report.
For the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, 16,15,000 more VVPATs will be required by the EC in all polling stations in country.
For the time being, the EC could make a formal announcement that VVPAT machines will be used in all polling stations in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, at the time the poll schedule is announced.
The VVPAT machines deployment in all polling stations is expected to eliminate doubts regarding EVMs.