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Indian Express

AAP flays EC decision of not using VVPAT machines for local body elections

The Aam Aadmi Party has objected to the decision of the Maharashtra Election Commission to not use VVPAT machines for local body elections to the municipal corporations, Zilla Parishads and panchayat. The AAP demanded that either VVPAT machines should be used or the old method of ballot paper. 'The VVPAT machine is directly connected to the electronic voting machine. The VVPAT machine creates a paper slip visible to the voters, on which information about which party and symbol the voter has voted is recorded. The voter can inspect this slip and this slip is deposited in the machine,' said AAP spokesperson Mukund Kirdat. Regarding the counting of VVPATs, the opposition has always demanded a physical counting of fifty percent or more machines. Transparency and voter confidence have also been considered important by the Supreme Court. In such a situation, it would be wrong to use only EVMs in local body elections, AAP said. 'Verification is necessary for any valid measuring device. If there is any malfunction or disruption in the voting machine or its use for any reason, how will the votes be verified? A machine that cannot be verified is declared unfit for measurement…The Supreme Court said in its 2024 judgment that the VVPAT is essential to guarantee transparency and integrity in the system. Allowing the voter to see the VVPAT slip through a glass window assures them their vote was cast and recorded. It strengthens the principle of vote verification, which increases the overall accountability of the election process. Hence, local elections must be held on EVM machines linked with VVPAT,' said Kirdat. 'During state elections, many candidates have cast doubts about EVM machines and demanded counting of VVPAT slips. Hence, we are demanding that if VVPAT is not available , voting be done on ballot papers. Otherwise, there is a fear that many issues and disputes will arise during the elections and during the counting, and the voters' faith in democracy will decrease,' Kirdat said.