HYDERABAD: The final consignment of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs), a component of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) reached Hyderabad on Saturday. As many as 5,170 VVPATs, a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballot-less voting system arrived on Saturday morning from Panchkula in Haryana.
The remaining components like 6,120 Balloting Units (BUs) and 4,780 Control Units (CUs) had already arrived a few days ago and have been stored at Indoor Stadium, Victory Play Ground, Chaderghat amidst tight security. The advanced M3 model EVMs would be used for conducting elections in Hyderabad district covering as many as 3,826 polling stations in 15 Assembly constituencies of Hyderabad District.
What are VVPATs?
GHMC officials said that VVPATs which are going to be used for the first time, is a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballotless voting system. A VVPAT is intended as an independent verification system for voting machines designed to allow voters to verify that their vote was cast correctly, to detect possible election fraud or malfunction, and to provide a means to audit the stored electronic results. It contains the name of the candidate (for whom vote has been cast) and symbol of the party or individual candidate.
Mobile booths to be launched
To create awareness among voters about the functioning of EVMs, GHMC would introduced mobile polling booths, which will be a similar to that of conventional polling station, to demonstrate the entire voting exercise to the voters through mock polling.
The corporation will deploy three modern mobile vans which will work as mock polling booth for the purpose. The aim is to educate the voters as certain sections, mainly political parties, were casting aspersions on the EVMs. One EVM and one VVPAT will be provided for two wards and one model polling station is being planned by GHMC Head Office with all available machinery. These mobile vans will move each in one circle on a daily basis to cover Hyderabad district. The idea is to demonstrate the entire exercise of voting to the residents and help them clear their doubts, if any, in the process.
Mobile vans inspected
In this connection Hyderabad District Election Officer and GHMC Commissioner, M Dana Kishore inspected the mobile van equipped with EVM and VVPATs at GHMC Head Office on Saturday. He told mediapersons that the modernised EVMs working process will be highlighted through publicity campaign to the citizens and voters for them to have a clear knowledge of voting.
With regard to Hyderabad District, Secunderabad, Khairtabad, Charminar zones three mobile vans have been deployed for the above purpose.
Apart from this, one EVM and one VVPAT will be provided for two wards where demonstrations will be given at Community Halls, Parks, Ward Offices to create awareness. The CEO has been requested to provide 100 EVMS and VVPATs, first phase of verification of EVMs, VVPATs is going on at Victory Play Ground, Chaderghat and the process will be completed in 3-4 days, he added.