VVPAT EVMs to be used for R K Nagar bypolls

The Election Commission has decided to use VVPAT EVMs in the April 12 bypolls in R K Nagar. Eighty-two candidates are in the fray for the R K Nagar bypoll and the Election Commission feels that the number of candidates can be accommodated on Voter-verified paper audit trail for the fight for late Jayalalithaa's constituency.

Last week, the EC had stated that close to 1,200 EVMs were kept ready for certification ahead of the R K Nagar bypoll. Candidates have begun campaigning in the constituency that has a total number of 2,62,721 voters. O Panneerselvam of the AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma faction kickstarted his campaign for the polls on Monday.

AIADMK-Amma's candidate and Sasikala Natarajan's



nephew TTV Dinakaran claimed that he would rent a house in R K Nagar and carry out campaigning.

The VVPAT EVMs becomes the highlight of the R K Nagar bypoll owing to questions raised on EVMs in the recently-concluded polls in five states. AAP, BSP and SP had raised questioned over the possibility of EVMs being rigged to favour one party in the elections. The high-voltage R K Nagar poll will be testing ground for the EC, as well on using VVPAT machines.

Meanwhile, the DMK has registered a complaint with the EC that both factions of the AIADMK were indulging in unfair practices ahead of the polls. In their complaint, the DMK has alleged that parties are distributing money to woo voters.