SHILLONG, NOV 14: As a run up to the National Press Day on 16th November 2018, Chief Electoral Officer, Meghalaya in collaboration with the Shillong Press Club held a Panel Discussion today organized a panel discussion titled ‘More Clarity and Light on EVM and VVPAT’ as part of the EVM-VVPAT awareness initiative.
Amongst the panelists was the Chief Electoral Officer, Meghalaya, FR Kharkongor, Prof RK Satpathy, Political Science Department, NEHU and Allantry F Dkhar, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister and Vice-President of United Democratic Party.
Moderating the panel discussion was Padmashree Manas Choudhary, former Journalist and former Minister.
The purpose of the Discussion was to generate clearer understanding to the general public in the state of Meghalaya through the media on the credibility, transparency and verifiability of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).
The Press and Media in general have continued to play a very balanced and constructive role in disseminating information on EVM-VVPAT in the State and in the country as a whole. Such support from the media fraternity is still urgently required to remove the curtain of doubt surrounding EVMVVPAT in some quarters.
While the panelists who are for VVPAT have expressed their views referring how EVMs and VVPATs have changed the nature and speed of the Electoral Process. Election administration has become faster, more accurate, more voter-friendly and more reliable. Besides, unlike Nederland and other European countries where legal sanction for such machines was non-existent, India has the legal sanctity including technical and administrative safeguards.
The panelists who questioned the functioning of the VVPAT noted that while EVMs are an improvement over the ballot paper system, more safeguards are required.
As the challenges pointed out were more on account of human error and not necessarily related to EVMVVPAT. In Meghalaya, the story has been widely positive as EVMs and VVPATs have been well received by the public in general, evident in nil election related petitions in the last Assembly Elections.
The panelist shared their different opinions on EVM-VVPAT and concluded that public awareness was required in the coming days to dispel any doubts.
During the programme, the dignitaries released the Press Kit and the Live Product Demonstration of EVM and VVPAT was also presented to the participants to get firsthand knowledge of the functioning of the EVM and VVPAT.
Additional CEO, Meghalaya, RP Marak and President, Shillong Press Club, David Laitphlang was also present at the programme.
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