HYDERABAD: Mark-3 will make its mark felt in the ensuing Assembly polls and later, in the Lok Sabha polls due to be held next year. This new generation electronic voting machine (EVM) is supposedly tamper-proof and has a host of features including self-diagnostics to rectify software glitches and digital signatures to prevent fraud.
Apart from this, officials say there is another significant feature in the new version. The previous M2 machines could accommodate 64 candidates. If a constituency had more than 64 candidates contesting, then paper ballot system had to be used. The new M3 machines, meanwhile, can accommodate a total of 384 candidates.
The machine also cuts down human resource requirement. While five people were needed to operate M2 machines, the new one requires just four people. The modern M3 EVMs are manufactured by the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), both Central Government Defence manufacturing departments, GHMC officials added.
CEO, DEO meet with political parties; focus on PWDs
To avoid any apprehensions about the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs), Telangana Chief Electoral Office, in coordination with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), conducted awareness programmes for representatives of political parties at Victory Play Grounds, Chaderghat on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Kumar said that Hyderabad district has been provided with 19 mobile vehicles in which some of the vehicles were specially designed with needs of PWDs in mind. “Specially trained professionals have been deployed in mobile vehicles who will explain about the entire polling process of voting through EVMs.
Also, a permanent mock polling station will be established where citizens can come according to their convenience to clear their doubts,” he said. Commissioner and District Electoral Officer Dana Kishore told media persons that GHMC would set up one static unit with a secure shelter booth in each ward in order to educate citizens about polling procedures.