With the Union Cabinet clearing fund allocations, the Election Commission has issued a letter of intent for buying 16.15 lakh voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines.
The machines will be procured in 2017-18 and 2018-19 at an estimated cost of ₹3,173.47 crore from the public sector undertakings Bharat Electronics Ltd. and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd.
“In its letter sent to the CMDs of ECIL and BEL on Friday, the commission has communicated its intent for purchase of 8,07,500 VVPATs from each of the PSUs by September 2018,” said an EC note.
Approved design
These VVPATs will be manufactured only as per the design approved by the commission, based on the recommendations of the Technical Experts Committee on EVMs, constituted by the electoral body.
The committee comprises eminent Professors from the Indian Institutes of Technology.
“The commission shall closely monitor the production of VVPATs for timely delivery well before the Lok Sabha general elections in 2019,” the EC said.
Explaining the importance of this step, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said, “It will enhance transparency and uphold the voters’ right to know which party he or she has voted.”
