In a first, paper trail to mark Nanded municipal elections

WAITING GAME: VVPAT machines may be used, if ECI supplies them on time

The State Election Commission (SEC) is considering using Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in Nanded- Waghala Municipal Corporation (NWMC) poll scheduled on October 11.

The state government has released the funds for the purchase of such 300 machines from the Electronic Corporation of India (ECI), If delivered on time, NWMC will the first civic body to use VVPAT machines in polls. Earlier in 2014 assembly polls, the Election Commission of India had used such machines in 13 assembly segments spread in eight districts.

The General Administration Department (GAD) in a Government Resolution (GR), issued on September 8, stated that there are plans to use about 300 VVPAT machines on experimental basis in the NWMC polls.

All the machines, at a cost of Rs 26,212 per unit, are to be purchased. The state government has allocated Rs 92 lakh for the purchase of the 300 VVPAT machines. The GR further states that in future civic elections the concerned municipal corporations should make budgetary provisions for the use of VVPAT machines, if they are going to be used on a regular basis.

Apart from GAD, the SEC too had placed the order with the ECI for the purchase of the VVPAT machines. However, the ECI is yet to supply them, which it ought to have done by now. “If the ECI does supply the machines on time, then the same can be used in the NWMC polls”, sources in the State Election Commission of Maharashtra (SECM) said.