Mock drills conducted to sensitise voters on VVPAT

JAGATSINGHPUR: The district administration has launched an exercise to sensitise the electorate about use of EVM under new VVPAT system.Mock drills are being conducted in four Assembly segments by 28 teams from February 7. Around 30 per cent of the total electorate had cast votes during the mock drill, a senior administration official said.

A mobile van with two demonstrators, two assistants and one security personnel has been deployed for the drill which will end on February 15. The van moves from one village to another during which the demonstrators explain to the voters about the VVPAT machine and how to use it.

“According to the new process, after a person casts his vote in an EVM machine there is a seven second gap between pressing the button and the beep being heard. In between the casting of vote and beep sound, VVPAT screen displays a serial number, candidate’s name and party symbol and then the slip drops into box fixed to the machine. Many voters were confused if their vote was cast or not due to this time lapse,” said a demonstrator. “Has my vote been registered?” was a common question asked by voters, they added.
However, the timing of the drill has affected turnout. Kunjakothi Sarpanch Sandhya Swain said, “the polling team reached Kanaguli village at a time when people are away at work. This has affected turnout and also deprived people of being aware of the new system”.

A woman voter, Sulochana Sahoo said “I was not aware of VVPAT use, but after attending the mock drill I was reassured that my vote would be cast in a fair manner.”Additional District Magistrate Sachidanada Sahoo said all arrangements have been made to ensure success of the awareness programme.“The administration has also started training polling personnel at seven locations of district headquarters from Thursday,” he added.