Rs 3,200 crore granted to EC for EVM paper trail units

NEW DELHI: The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved the Election Commission’s demand for procuring paper trail machines, which allow voters to verify their votes are cast correctly by dispensing a slip with voted party’s symbol, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The move comes amid increasing political noises questioning the credibility of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and repeated demand by some opposition parties to equip each EVM with a voter verified paper audit trail ( VVPAT) machine.

The cabinet, in a meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has approved purchase of 16.15 lakh VVPAT units at a cost of Rs 3,173 cr, or Rs 19,650 for each unit, from Bharat Electronics, Bangalore, and Electronics Corporation of India, Hyderabad.

The approval comes within days of chief election commissioner Naseem Zaidi shooting off a reminder to law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on the issue, urging for speedy sanctioning of funds for VVPAT purchase.

"The decision of the government would enable the EC to deploy VVPAT units in all pooling booths in the general elections, 2019, which will act as an additional layer of transparency for the satisfaction of voters, allaying any apprehension in the minds of the voters as to the fidelity and integrity of the EVMs," said a Press Information Bureau note.

EC sources told ET while it was earlier estimated it would take 30 months to procure required number of VVPATs, the two manufacturers have agreed to fast track work to complete the process in 18 months.

EC said it will closely monitor production of VVPATs for timely delivery so that it can ensure compliance of the Supreme Court directive to introduce paper trail in EVMs.

The idea of an additional layer of transparency for the satisfaction of voters in the form of a paper trail was suggested by parties in a meeting with the EC back in October 2010.

In 2013, the commission purchased 20,300 VVPAT units and since then it has deployed them in certain seats. Order for 67,000 additional VVPATs was placed in 2015, out of which 33,500 units have been supplied so far.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had filed a petition pleading for directions to the EC to use VVPAT units in all booths. The Supreme Court, in its order on October 8, 2013 directed the government to provide required financial assistance for procurement of requisite number of VVPAT units.

VVPAT device functions like a printer to be attached to the ballot unit. Once the vote is cast it dispenses a paper slip showing the symbol on which it is cast. The voter can only see this slip through a screened window. After seven seconds, the slip automatically gets cut and falls into a sealed drop box.