The Election Commission of India has, in a notification, on Thursday said all the votes for the forthcoming general elections to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly will be given and recorded by means of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) printers in the manner prescribed, under the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, and the supplementary instructions issued by the Commission from time to time on the subject.
According to Media Cell, Nagaland CEO, sufficient number of EVMs and printers for printing VVPAT are available for polling in all the Assembly constituencies of Nagaland. He said the polling personnel are well trained in efficient handling of the EVMs and VVPAT printers and the electors are also fully conversant with the operation of the machines.
The ECI notification also stated that the Commission has approved the design of the EVM and the VVPAT printers as developed by the Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad to be used for giving and recording of votes in the Assembly constituencies.
Meanwhile, Dimapur DC& DEO Sushil Kumar Patel has in a press release on Thursday brought to the notice of all voters that Rule 39 of the Conduct of Elections, 1961 provides for maintenance of secrecy of votes of the electors while booth capturing is an offence under Section 135A of Representation of People Act, 1951.
Whosoever commits the offence of booth capturing shall be punishable with the imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year, which may extend to three years and with fine, the DEO warned. He has also informed of all arrangements being made by the district administration to ensure the same.
“Secrecy of voters will in no way be compromised,” he stated. Most of the polling stations in Dimapur are under critical/vulnerable category where maximum Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will be sent for polling duties, he said.