EC may face ire if VVPAT launch fails in Assam polls

The Election Commission of India may have to face stiff opposition if it fails to introduce Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) with each electronic voting machine (EVM) in 2016 Assembly polls for free and fair elections in Assam.

Expressing her deep anguish over media reports, indicating supply of only 2,400 VVPAT that may be used for only 10 Assembly segments, former Rajya Sabha MP Joyshree Goswami Mahanta told reporters that there are 33,000 polling booths in the state but only 2,400 VVPAT has been supplied to the state.

The ECI has not clarified its plan for rest of the polling booths, she added. Referring various reports that she mentioned in her writ petition being heard by the Gauhati high court on use of VVPAT, Ms Mahanta said, “We have found that the EVMs are not foolproof. There is every possibility that it may be tampered with, so we are demanding that the elections in Assam should be held with VVPAT or ballot papers only.”

A VVPT system includes a printed ballot as a receipt that a voter gets after casting votes. Putting forward her arguments substantiated by various true incidents, Ms Mahanta said that most of political parties are in favour of using the VVPAT across all the constituencies in Assam.

It is significant that role of ECI has come into controversy after repeated complaints against the functioning of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) prompting the Election Commission to adopt stricter norms and close scrutiny of the state-owned public sector undertaking that handles the maintenance of the machines in Assam.

In fact a delegation of regional Asom Gana Parishad had met the Election Commission, seeking a review of the Election Commission’s contract for maintenance with AMTRON or any state government-owned or controlled organisation, instead entrusting the job to a Central government.

Ms Mahanta said her petition, seeking direction to the Election Commission is pending before the court but it is also the responsibility of the commission to ensure a free and fair polls in the state through mandatory use of VVPAT.