IAS Jalaj Sharma took charge of Nashik District Collector on July 22, 2023. (Pic: The Voice of Malegaon)
In an awareness campaign, citizens with the help of a live demo can check whether the vote they give electronically goes to the right candidate or not. Just months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has kickstarted a campaign aimed at bursting the myths around the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Over the past many years, doubts have been raised over proper working of these EVMs. The campaign which will last till February 29, 2024 wants to put this uncalled for controversy, as regards the EVMs, to rest.
“There are 4,739 polling booths (EVMs) across all the fifteen assembly constituencies in the Nashik district. Of this, we have taken 10% or 474 EVMs out of the security cell with permission from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Each EVM has been pasted with a yellow sticker as they are only for training and awareness purposes. Note that these machines will not be used for actual voting on an election day,” said IAS Jalaj Sharma, Nashik Collector who is also the District Electoral Officer.
For citizens’ convenience, arrangements have also been made for them to have a first-hand experience through a live demo. Sharma added he has given directions to put these machines at prant or tehsil offices as well. Apart from that, these machines will also be deployed on mobile vans with LCD projector.
On Friday, Sub-Divisional Officer and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Nitin Sadgir flagged off a mobile van with LCD screen, EVM and VVPAT units for spreading awareness among citizens. Tehsildar Nitinkumar Deore, Deputy Tehsildar Bhaskar Handore, Deputy Tehsildar Varada Soman and other revenue officials were present.
Sharma has asked all the revenue authorities under his office to implement the project on a large scale. He added that each assembly constituency has been assigned with two vans with LCD screens. This means a total of 30 vans will ply on the roads across fifteen assembly constituencies in order to make people aware.
The Nashik Collector has appealed citizens especially the electors to make the most of this opportunity and be a part of these awareness sessions in their locality. The Voice of Malegaon reached out to Prant Officer Nitin Sadgir who is also the Electoral-roll Registration Officer (E-rRO) for the 114-Malegaon Central Assembly Constituency. He said they have already started imparting awareness among the populace. He added the campaign has been started in both 114-Malegaon Central and 115-Malegaon Outer assembly constituencies.
An Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) has three parts: a Control Unit, a Ballot Unit and a VVPAT or Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail unit. (Pic: The Voice of Malegaon)
How an EVM works
Nitin Khare of government’s Industrial Training Institute (ITI) has been roped in as a Master Trainer by the state. He said an EVM consists of three parts viz a Control Unit, a Ballot Unit and a VVPAT or Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail unit. “During polling, the Control Unit remains with the booth officer. No one can cast their vote until or unless the booth officer presses the ‘Ballot’ button on the Control Unit. This action activates the Ballot Unit,” Khare said.
Usually, there are sixteen buttons on the Ballot Unit, each meant for casting the vote for a particular candidate. Once the voter presses the button of their choice on the Ballot Unit, the vote is cast. “After casting their vote, electors can on the spot check in the VVPAT whether their vote has gone to the candidate of their choice or not?,” Khare said.
Watch: Can an EVM be hacked? Master Trainer answers with a live demo
