Slammed by opposition, EVMs get a thumbs-up from voters

Many voters, however, also complained that introduction of VVPAT has slowed down the polling, as VVPAT was taking around three seconds to display a print of the vote.

gujarat elections, EVM, bjp, elections commission, indian express

At Sanathali village in Jasdan taluka, people said they had faith in EVMs. Sharmila Dhaduk (23), a resident of Sanathali, said, “I could see that the EVM registered my vote in favour of the candidate that I chose. The introduction of VVPAT has in fact enhanced credibility of EVMs,” said Sharmila.

AMID REPORTS of EVM malfunctioning from different parts of Gujarat, voters on Saturday favoured the introduction of Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines, calling it “reassuring”. Voters in various constituencies said that VVPATs at polling booths have done away with any doubt over EVMs. “These machines (EVMs) are fully reliable. VVPAT has erased any shred of doubt. It will show if the vote goes to the wrong candidate. Politicians allege that these machines are prone to manipulation, but it’s not true,” said Pooja Oza, 24, who works as a junior executive with a bank and cast her vote with her mother in Rajkot.

Varu, 30, a commerce graduate who runs a garment shop in the city, echoed Oza, saying EVMs and VVPAT are completely reliable. “Political parties that fail to perform will point fingers at the EVMs. But I think the machines are reliable. If there was any doubt about, one can go through VVPAT slip to corroborate his vote,” Varu said after casting his vote at Dharmendrasinhji Arts College, in for Rajkot (West) constituency from where Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is seeking re-election.

Chandresh Shah (47), a garment trader, also expressed similar views: “Hacking of EVMs looked impossible”.
Most voters The Sunday Express spoke with in Gondal town, which is part of Gondal Assembly seat, also gave a thumbs up to VVPAT.

“The VVPAT machine displayed the party symbol I had voted for. The VVPAT is reassuring. Politicians will continue raising doubts but I endorse the credibility of EVM,” Dharmishta Dalsaniya, 42, a homemaker, said after casting her vote. Rajendrasinh Jadeja, 20, a Commerce student and a first-time voter, called EVMs “foolproof”: “I don’t believe in allegations that EVMs had been hacked into. VVPATs assured me that my vote had gone to the candidate I had voted for, and that there is no room for irregularities.”

Many voters, however, also complained that introduction of VVPAT has slowed down the polling, as VVPAT was taking around three seconds to display a print of the vote. People in rural areas also vouched for EVMs. “I am fully confident about the safety of EVM. Now, with the introduction of VVPAT, I saw a printout of my vote as soon as I pushed the button on EVM,” said Shailesh Radadiya, 30, a building contractor, who cast his vote at Moviya village, in Gondal constituency. “There is no possibility of hacking into EVM. Many people complain that EVMs are manipulated to allot a majority of votes to one particular party but now people can see who they have voted for.”

Her friend, Aarti Dhaduk, 25, who is a teacher at a private school, also expressed similar views. Rajkot (West) and Gondal constituencies are part of the 89 Assembly seats, spread across Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat regions, that voted on Saturday in the first phase. Polling for rest of the state is scheduled to be held on December 14.