The State election authority has intensified efforts to make sure that there are adequate number of electronic voting machines and voter verifiable paper audit trail machines for the forthcoming elections to the Lok Sabha.
The availability of EVMs and VVPAT machines had become a major focus area as close to 20% of the machines allocated to the State during the recent Assembly elections are presently unavailable.
The EVMs had been kept aside because of the 34 election petitions related to 30 Assembly constituencies spread over 19 districts are being adjudicated in the courts.
Election petition
Of the 34 petitions, 20 of them were reportedly connected with the EVMs while the remaining 14 were general in nature and efforts are underway to file petition seeking permission to use the EVMs of these 14 constituencies that are not under litigation. The issue assumes significance as the Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule for Lok Sabha elections any time in March first week. The election authority had to conduct first level checks and randomisation of the poll equipment within a specific time frame to ensure that they are available in adequate numbers.
“All put together, the number of EVMs locked in petitions can be upwards of 6,000,” a senior official told The Hindu . The number assumes significance as the State was allocated 52,100 ballot units, 41,000 control units and 44,000 VVPATs for the Assembly elections conducted through 32,796 polling stations.
Voters added
Added to this is the significant rise in the number of voters by around 16 lakh with more than 10 lakh people who attained 18 years age by January 1 prompting the authorities to set up 2,030 new polling stations which require the poll equipment. The election authorities recently addressed letter to the EC seeking allocation of additional 11,594 ballot units, 10,860 control units and 14,670 VVPAT machines for Lok Sabha elections so that the ratio of 1,100 votes per polling station in rural areas and 1,300 in urban areas arrived as part of rationalisation of the polling stations is maintained. Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said the additional requirement of about 11,000 EVMs and close to 15,000 VVPATs are likely to be supplied very soon by the manufacturer ECIL.
