Summary:
Though reserve machines were there, the question is what if the rate of malfunctioning VVPATs was very high?” a senior officer explained.After ECI has permitted machines to be set up as assembly constituencies, Electronic Voting Machines are now being sent to assembly constituencies. Heeding requests, ECI has allowed the setting and sealing of machines at assembly constituencies,” Arun Anandkar, the deputy district election officer, Nashik, said.According to officers the VVPATs – which are now compulsory at every polling station across the country – have electro-mechanical parts. Similar is the case with far off polling stations in Surgana and Kalwan assembly seats.“Even while we were carrying out demonstrations for citizens, our officers had problems. We apprehended that there would be some problem during the elections and machines would have to travel longer distances. Then the first level check-up of the machines was carried out..