Delhi Assembly Elections 2020: Can a voter ask for a VVPAT slip copy?
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), there are as many as 1.46 crore eligible voters for the Delhi assembly elections 2020.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are the major players in the Delhi assembly election 2020.
Delhi will go to polls on February 8 and the results of the elections will be declared on February 11.
In the 2015 assembly elections, AAP had won 67 seats out of the total 70. BJP could muster only three wins, whereas Congress, who ruled the capital for 15 years, could not open its account. .
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), there are as many as 1.46 crore eligible voters for the Delhi assembly elections 2020.
To cast your vote, you need to have a voter ID card and your name in the electoral list of your constituency.
Once you cast your vote, the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) makes a beep confirming that a vote has been cast.
A Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slip provides a visual confirmation that your vote went to the candidate or party of your choice. But can you ask for a VVPAT slip copy from the polling officer?
What is VVPAT slip?
The VVPAT machine is placed in a transparent glass case. The machine can be accessed only by the polling officials at a booth.
After casting your vote through the EVM, the VVPAT machine churns out a printed slip as a means of verifying the vote. This slip is called an EVM VVPAT slip. The slip includes name of the candidate and the corresponding election symbol.
The slip is visible for 7 seconds for a voter, it then automatically drops to a sealed box.
Can you ask for the VVPAT slip or its copy?
A voter is not supposed to gain access to the VVPAT slip. So, the simple answer is no, but there are exceptions.
If a voter sees that the name in the VVPAT slip doesn’t match with the candidate chosen on the EVM, he/she can approach the polling officials.
According to Rule 49MA of Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, a voter has to give a written declaration to the presiding officer alleging the mismatch.
A test vote will be then casted. If the allegation is proven, voting on the EVM will be stopped immediately. Otherwise, the test vote will be discarded.