75 secs to cast just one vote has parties worried

Though the district administration has taken all measures to conduct fair elections, political party workers fear there will be low polling percentage as it takes more than 75 seconds for each voter to cast their vote and confirm it on Voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) units. 
Election officials hold mustering and de-mustering for Nanjangud polls on Saturday | Udayashankar S
Election officials hold mustering and de-mustering for Nanjangud polls on Saturday | Udayashankar S

MYSURU: Though the district administration has taken all measures to conduct fair elections, political party workers fear there will be low polling percentage as it takes more than 75 seconds for each voter to cast their vote and confirm it on Voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) units. 


The Panachayat Development officers, during training period, also raised the issue as it would be difficult to allow or make a majority of voters cast votes in 10 hours.


A PDO pleading anonymity said this would make the voters stand in queue for a long time.
How can 1,000 voters cast vote in one machine in 10 hours when it takes 16 hours if all of them vote, he asked. While Puttu of Kapasoge said the new system takes 17-20 seconds more than the usual polling system. He said the voters instead of turning up late in the evening should visit polling station from the morning to exercise their franchise.


The local party leaders have appealed to voters and booth-level workers to make sure that the voters turn up from  the early hours.


When contacted, DC D Randeep tried to do away with the apprehensions that the VVPAT will lead to less voting percentage. 


He accepted that the new system will take more time compared to the usual system. A voter may take a maximum of 90 seconds, from entry to exit from the polling booth. In order to ensure that none who intend to vote are denied the opportunity, the polling officials have been asked to issue tokens to all voters who have made it to the polling booths by 5 pm, he said.

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