Electronic Voting Machines - Second field trial of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system in five locations in the country - regarding

Several political parties had requested the Commission that the possibility of introducing Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail along with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) may be examined.  The Commission had asked manufacturers of EVMs – BEL and ECIL to develop a VVPAT.  The prototype VVPAT system was field tested in Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Cherrapunjee in Meghalaya, East Delhi district in NCT of Delhi and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan in July, 2011.  After this field trial, it was felt that further improvement is needed in the VVPAT system.  BEL and ECIL have now produced prototypes of improved VVPAT system which have been demonstrated to the Commission's Technical Expert Committee on EVMs.  On the recommendation of Technical Expert Committee on EVMs, the Commission has decided to undertake another field trial of the improved prototype VVPAT system in the same five places where it was held in July, 2011.  Accordingly, the second field trial of improved prototype VVPAT shall be held in these five places according to the calendar of events given below:-

           In wider fulfillment of the objectives of the field trial, the Commission has requested the National and State Parties to extend necessary cooperation by getting involved in the trial process actively and also witness the trial in order to have a firsthand experience of the system. The Commission has also requested the individuals and groups, who have been engaged with the Commission on the issue of EVM-VVPAT, to witness the trial.  The Commission is sending its officials and the members of the Technical Expert Committee to observe the performance of the system during the said trial.

           In addition to the above, the Commission has decided that any groups or individuals from among the civil society, media, technology & academic associations, interested formations and the public at large will be allowed to vote in the simulated election and witness any of the events that are part of the field trial.

           In order to facilitate such involvement, the details of place, time/date etc. along with name and designation of officials in charge of the events in respect of the above trails is enclosed.

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