New Delhi:
For the first time, the Election Commission or EC would be using the paper trail system along with the Electronic Voting Machines in the Nagaland by-election scheduled to be held on September 4.
The system, called the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail system (VVPAT), will accompany the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM). The set-up will include an EVM and the VVPAT, which will be placed on the voter's table.
When the voter presses a button on the EVM to select the party he wants to vote for, a small slip bearing the name and symbol of the party will briefly appear for about 10 seconds on the VVPAT system, after which it fall into a secure box, thus maintaining a paper trail of all the votes cast.
"This is the first time this new system will be tried in real time election. Depending upon the outcome, this system will be used in future elections," Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath told NDTV, indicating that the commission may use this new system in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
The Election Commission had recently convened an all-party meet to explain the new system and all of them agreed to try the new set-up.
This system comes into effect after Dr Subramanian Swamy approached Supreme Court complaining that the present EVM system leaves voters doubtful of the party they have voted for. The government has also made necessary changes in the rules to use the new paper trail system