Awareness campaign on Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails, Electronic Voting Machines held

Kothagudem: Extensive voter awareness campaign on Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is being conducted in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district ahead of Lok Sabha elections.  

VVPAT were used for the first time along with EVMs in the recently-concluded Assembly elections to ensure transparency in polling process, said Joint collector K Venkateshwarlu

In order to educate masses, especially in remote areas and villages, the awareness programme was being conducted. More awareness programmes would be conducted in villages of Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam, Mahabubabad and Jayashanker-Bhupalpally districts that were part of Khammam and Mahabubabad Lok Sabha constituencies.

In all, 40 EVM units in rural and eight EVM units in municipalities were being used for the purpose. The municipal commissioners and MPDOs were directed to submit a report on daily progress, he said.

Venkateshwarlu said the exercise would help clear the doubts of public regarding the functioning of EVMs and VVPATs and allow them take part in polling without any doubt over the efficacy of the machines.

VVPAT serves as second line of verification in election process and gives information on a vote polled by a voter, he added. The CEC’s tollfree number 1950 or 1950 App could be used to get information about election-related matters, he said.