Curious voters queue up for ‘tamper-proof’ EVM demo

  • | Wednesday | 20th March, 2019

This will definitely help me on the poll day,” Sarat said.While some were curious, others felt it was a part of campaigning. These EVMs, EC sources said, have many advanced features like self-diagnostics and digital signature-enabled control panel. The machines, called Mark 3 or M3 EVMs, will be used in all booths in Bengal, an EC official said. “Tamper-proof ” third-generation EVMs will be used for the first time in Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Sensing Dutta’s predicament, the EC official asked her to step forward and operate the machine on her own, something she would get to do only on the poll day.

KOLKATA: Swagata Dutta, a first-time voter, stood curiously in front of an EVMVVPAT (Electronic Voting Machine-Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) machine at Shyambazar AV School on Tuesday morning. Sensing Dutta’s predicament, the EC official asked her to step forward and operate the machine on her own, something she would get to do only on the poll day. Swagata spent 10 minutes with the machine, soaking in all that was being told to her. When she walked out ten minutes later, she was elated.“I have always seen my father — a Kolkata Police officer — casting his vote from home (postal ballot). He seals his vote in an envelope and posts it. I had no knowledge of EVMs and VVPATs,” she said. A thrilled Dutta didn’t forget to thank the EC for their unique effort to educate the voters before the election. “I will be much more confident when I go to the booth on May 19,” she quipped.EC officials were explaining how the devices function — a part of the state-wide exercise to educate people on how they operate. “Tamper-proof ” third-generation EVMs will be used for the first time in Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The new-generation EVMs were first used in the 2018 Karnataka assembly elections. These EVMs, EC sources said, have many advanced features like self-diagnostics and digital signature-enabled control panel. The machines, called Mark 3 or M3 EVMs, will be used in all booths in Bengal, an EC official said. The machine will get locked if someone tries to tamper with it.Dutta isn’t alone. Young voters like Madhu Shaw of Shayambazar and Rohit Sarat, a Patna resident who is studying here, stood in a queue to learn more about the machine. “I will go to Patna and cast my vote for the first time. Today, I got the chance to know about the machine. This will definitely help me on the poll day,” Sarat said.While some were curious, others felt it was a part of campaigning. “I was surprised. How can there be election today? I approached the table and saw people explaining the functions of the machine,” Mihir Chatterjee(56), a resident of the Maniktala, said. “When I saw some people explaining the functions of the machine, I initially thought it was a political campaign,” said Rabi Shaw, a resident of the Ballygunge.A poll panel official said: “We didn’t think that so many people will turn up. They had so many questions and we were really happy to answer them. We have another day. We hope that tomorrow more people will visit us.”

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