The State Chief Electoral Officer Radha Raturi along with the Dehradun District Magistrate and District Election Officer, inspected voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machine at the old tehsil campus on Thursday. This machine would confirm whether the vote cast by any voter goes to the intended symbol. Raturi said that following the direction of Supreme Court, election commission has decided to use VVPAT machines at selected areas on a trial basis during the coming Vidhan Sabha election to be held in 2017. The number of such machines being limited, they would be put at some selected booths, she added.
She said that by VVPAT mechanism, a voter can confirm whether his or her vote cast through the Electronic Voting Machine has gone to the candidate of his/her choice.
A total of 260 VVPAT machines have been received for the assembly election 2016 in the state and decision on putting such machine in particular constituency would be taken once the election process starts.
The district election officer Ravinath Raman said that in the coming Vidhan Sabha election, VVPAT machines will be put at selected places in a particular constituency of the district.
In the brief time period of seven to 10 seconds, this machine would reveal information about whether voters’ vote cast through the Electronic Voting Machine has gone to the candidate of his/her choice.
Voters would not be provided slip paper which reveals vote cast at booth after they exercise their votes in order to maintain secrecy of votes during the election.
The polling officers would match these slips with the voting machines during counting of votes. This machine would enhance transparency in election process. Others present on the occasion were assistant election officer PS Rawat, section officer election Mastudas, Tehsidars and other election officials.