More than 1,200 Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines had to be replaced on Sunday across 13,819 polling stations in Delhi on
Sunday, resulting in a delay in the election process at some places.

This was the first time VVPAT machines, which give an instant feedback to the voter through a printed slip, were being used across all polling stations in Delhi.

“One of the areas of concern was the replacement of VVPAT machines both during the mock poll and the actual polling process. Even though the number of machines that had to be replaced was not alarming but it did create some inconvenience to the voters,” said Ranbir Singh, CEO of Delhi.

The electronic voting machine comprises three machines – a ballot unit, a control unit and the VVPAT.

“While 779 VVPAT machines had to be replaced during the mock poll held between 6 am and 7 am, another 450 had to be replaced when the actual voting process started from 7 am,” said a senior official of the poll panel.

Reports of voters complaining about malfunctioning of EVMs were reported from several polling stations. The delay was, however, not long as spare machines were kept on standby.

Voting started late when EVMs did not work for 45 minutes at some booths at a polling station at Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar, and morning walkers who had stopped to vote had to go away disappointed.

“We decided to come back after waiting for an hour in the morning because the lines had become very long, according to a couple, who were back there to vote at 11.35 am,” said a voter, who didn’t wish to be named.

A senior poll official said that even though technical audit of these machines had been carried out over the past three months, some of the machines could have malfunctioned because of poor handling.

“Along with the VVPATs, ballot units and control units in some polling stations also had to be replaced resulting in delay and frustration of voters,” said a poll official.

At least 182 control units and 305 ballot units had to be replaced during the mock poll and the actual polling process.

“Malfunctioning of EVMs is a normal thing and is not disconcerting. If a voter had reached the polling station before 6 pm, he would have got to cast his vote despite the malfunctioning of machines,” said a senior poll official.

First Published: May 13, 2019 06:25 IST