Paper trail Electronic Voting Machines to be use in civic polls

For the first time in Telangana, the State Election Commission (SEC) will use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system attached to the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) on a pilot basis in the ensuing municipal corporation elections scheduled for March 6. 

The decision comes in the wake of recent allegations of massive tampering of the EVMs to favour the ruling TRS in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections. 

While the SEC has decided to implement the VVPAT on pilot basis in the 40 polling stations in the election to Khammam Municipal Corporation, the possibility of enforcing the same in the Greater Warangal



Municipal Corporation is under consideration.

The VVPAT system that allays fears of political parties facilitates the voter to see a printout of the symbol of the candidate to whom he has voted. When a vote is cast, a printer-like apparatus linked to the EVMs called VVPAT generates a receipt showing the serial number, name and symbol of the chosen candidate.

The printout can only be seen through a glass window. The voter is not allowed to take the printout home. The printout retained by the machine will be used as proof of the votes polled to each candidate in case political parties raise any objection regarding to the genuineness of the EVMs.