Committed to deploying VVPAT machines in future elections: Election Commission

The Election Commission yesterday dismissed media reports that the delivery of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines is way behind schedule for the 2019 general election. 

The Commission said, it is committed to the 100 per cent deployment of VVPATs at all polling stations in the future General election, as well as bye-polls to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. 

In a statement, the poll body said, in order to meet the requirement of VVPATs for the Lok Sabha Elections



next year, the Commission placed an order of 16 lakh 15 thousand VVPATs to be produced by the PSU manufacturers in May last year. 

The Commission said, till date, 5 lakh 88 thousand units have been produced by the PSUs, which is 36 per cent of the total quantity to be supplied. It said, both the PSUs have assured the Commission that the remaining VVPAT units will be manufactured and supplied to the various States and Union Territories before November end this year.