Chennai: The Election Commission of India, which recently tried the use of electronic voting machines fitted with voter verifiable slip, is set to expand the election slip trail process in the ensuing elections.
About 1.65 lakh old EVMs procured in 2001 will be replaced with new ones, Chief Election Commissioner V. S. Sampath, who arrived at Chennai airport on Friday said.
The elector’s slip will help prevent malpractices. “A communication from ECI has been sent to the Union law ministry seeking the nod to introduce the system. We are yet to get any official communication,” Mr. Sampath said. The identity of voters will be kept confidential.
Old EVMs, the CEC said comes with an expiry period of 15 years. The new machines will be advanced and resistant to technical problems.
On a pilot basis, the Election Commission introduced voter verifiable slips in a few Lok Sabha constituencies. After a voter presses the EVM button a slip is generated displaying, which symbol he voted.
However the machine will retain the slip. In Tamil Nadu, the Central Chennai constituency was selected and the system was a success. Chief electoral officer Praveen Kumar received the commissioner and they had a brief discussion at the airport.
