PANAJI
For the first time, a pre-first level checking unit will be put in use to test Electronic Voting Machines in the upcoming general elections in the State.
Speaking to media Chief Electoral Officer Kunal IAS said the P-FLCU is used to capture diagnostic data from EVM/VVPAT units and to set the real-time clock data of the control unit. It also has an unauthorised access detection module.
The P-FLCU is an accessory unit designed to test EVM units like Control Unit (CU), Ballot Unit (BU) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) prior to the conduct of first level checks on pilot basis.
The general election to Goa Legislative Assembly will be conducted on M3 EVM/VVPATs. M3 EVMs have all the technical security features of the earlier models, he said.
On Thursday, the office of the chief electoral officer, Goa conducted an awareness-cum-demo programme for all the political parties, district election officers, returning officers, assistant returning officers and members of media on pre-first level checking of M3 electronic voting machines and also the voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) at Altinho.
The chief electoral officer also disclosed that apart from Goa, the pre-first level checking unit would be used in Manipur in the upcoming general elections.
The demonstration and briefing was presented by engineers of Bharat Electronics Limited Arshiya Khatoon and Vamsi Krisha. Other various features of M3 EVM/VVPAT machines were also highlighted at the demonstration.
Speaking further, he said the unit has additional advanced technical features like Unauthorised Access Detection Module, Self Diagnostics for EVM’s Health, strong mutual authentication of CU, BU and VVPAT, battery life prediction, catering 24 BUs with single CU to accommodate 384 candidates, etc.
Apart from the above advanced features, these are sleeker and light in weight, enabling ease of handling by the election personnel.
Recently, Goa had sourced electronic voting machines from the neighbouring State of Karnataka. These machines had been stocked at the Old South Goa Collectorate near the Margao Municipal and at Altinho in Panaji.
