the goan I network
MARGAO
Ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections due in 2019, election officials on Tuesday conducted a first-level checking of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).
The exercise was conducted in both the North and South Goa districts by the election officials on Tuesday. In South Goa, election officials along with representatives of the Electronic Corporation of India descended on the Old Collectorate building which is housing the EVMs of entire South Goa district.
Joint Electoral Officer N S Navti told The Goan that the first-level checking exercise is normally conducted ahead of any general election. “This exercise is basically to check the operational capacity of each of the EVM and the VVPAT machines. If any of these are found with any defects, the same are to be rectified by the officials,” he said.
Navti pointed out that the any major defect noticed in the EVMs of VVPAT machines is normally rectified at the factories, while the minor repairs are carried out by the engineers.
He said the EVMs and VVPAT machines are declared fit for operation only after a certificate is issued by the engineers of the Electronic Corporation of India. “Once the engineers certify the machines are fit, they are then to be used for operation in the ensuing Lok Sabha election,” he added.
In late May last, Goa had received a brand new consignment of 2000 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines from Hyderabad as the state electoral office has plans to either phase out the old ones or keep them in reserve in the coming election.
Around 1000 VVPAT machines each were given for North and South Goa districts. Goa’s requirement of VVPAT is pegged at around 2000 machines “ 1642 machines for both polling stations and around 300 reserve.
