UP polls: VVPAT being used to counter poll fraud in Allahabad

Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Feb. 8 (ANI): For the very first time in Uttar Pradesh, a voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) has been introduced by the Election Commission, which would be used in polling booths in Allahabad district for the upcoming assembly polls. VVPAT is an independent verification system which provides feedback to the voters using a ballot less voting system which is implanted in voting machines designed to detect any possible election fraud or malfunction. The Commission has decided to use the machines in Allahabad North, Allahabad South and Meja for the polls. "In Allahabad North, Allahabad South and Meja we will be using a different kind of a machine, named VVPAT which stands for Voters Verifiable Paper Audit Trail wherein a small device has been implanted in the machine named PSDU," Nodal Officer D.S. Pandey told reporters here. Pandey said the machine is being used after they received complaints from numerous voters about malfunctioning in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). "It is being used after we received complaints that whenever a person votes for his representative, the vote is casted to someone else. Hence in order to quell the doubts and satisfy people we have introduced these machines so that a voter can verify whether he has voted the right person or not," he said. Pandey informed that the polling agency has been giving training to the presiding officers and polling booth officers about the functioning and usage of these machines. "There are 108 polling stations in these district, these machines will be installed there. We are giving one to one training to Presiding Officers and Polling Officers about its functioning," he said. The people of Uttar Pradesh will be voting for a new government in seven-phase elections between February 11 and March 8. (ANI)