Mock voting conducted on EVMs

KANPUR: Representatives of contestants and agents of political parties on Monday expressed satisfaction after casting their mock votes on electronic voting machine (EVM) and checking the same on VVPat.

They participated in the mock voting in presence of observer Santosh Kumar, district election officer Vijay Vishwas Pant, deputy election officer Kehar Singh and area returning officers.

Talking to TOI, deputy election officer Kehar Singh said, "EVMs, after being checked and cross checked, are being packed and will be sent to the polling booths and polling centres". As per the directives of the Election Commission, the agens of contestants and political parties were invited for mock voting, he added.

He said that assembly-wise five per cent machines were selected for mock voting and the results were then checked on VVPat. The representatives of contestants, who participated in the mock voting, expressed their satisfaction, and none raised any doubt or question regarding working of EVMs, he added.

As many as 14 candidates each are in fray for Kanpur Nagar and Akbarpur parliamentary constituencies.

The candidates, who could not reach houses of their constituency, are contacting voters through social media. A senior resident said, "This election is totally different from previous elections as there are no election campaigns or door-to-door convassing and the candidates are not seen appealing to voters by moving on vans and cycle rickshaws".