Voters Verifiable Paper Audit Trial develops snags, slows down voting in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: The Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) units developed snags due to the malfunctioning of VVPAT (Voters Verifiable Paper Audit Trial) machines in several booths. The overall speed of voting was also slow in the machines used in 1350 stations.

At Nemom, hitches developed at the booth at Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Attukal, before polling and the machine was replaced. Similarly, snags occurred at Ambalathara UP school, BNV school Thiruvallam, Aramada UP school and Koncharavila UP school. These were rectified and there was no claim for re-election anywhere.

“The VVPAT machine takes over seven seconds for a printed acknowledgement of the vote polled. The issues were worsened by the rains on Sunday night,” an official said. Problems developed in three EVM units in Thiruvananthapuram and voting was delayed by a few minutes at booth number 118 at Sreevarahom and booth number 58 at Killi UP school.