State Election Commission Secretary Anurag Sen announced that Tripura will conduct its upcoming November 27 municipal elections without VVPAT machines because the state body’s Electronic Voting Machines lack the technical hardware required to connect paper trail units.
At A Glance
-
No Paper Trail: Tripura will hold its November 27 civic polls using Electronic Voting Machines that lack Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) support.
-
Hardware Differences: State Election Commission EVMs differ technically from Election Commission of India machines and cannot connect to VVPAT units.
-
Key Poll Deadlines: Returning Officers are actively training election staff, while EVM commissioning will take place from November 18 to 20.
Voters in Tripura will cast their ballots without a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) during the upcoming local body polls. State Election Commission (SEC) Secretary Anurag Sen confirmed that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) slated for deployment lack the technical capability to support the verification system.
Why VVPATs Will Not Be Used
Secretary Anurag Sen addressed the absence of paper trails by highlighting key hardware differences between state and central election equipment. He explained that the EVMs operated by the SEC for local self-government elections are distinct from those used by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
While ECI machines feature built-in ports to connect VVPAT units, the SEC’s machines do not possess this technical provision. Sen clarified that election officials will deploy standard ballot units without VVPAT compatibility for the municipal polls.
Poll Preparations and EVM Commissioning
The State Election Commission has accelerated logistical preparations across Tripura ahead of the November 27 voting date. Officials are executing all electoral procedures strictly according to prescribed rules to guarantee smooth and peaceful polling.
Returning Officers are currently supervising mandatory training sessions for all personnel assigned to election duties. Following this training phase, the Commission will conduct the official EVM commissioning process between November 18 and November 20.
Voting Arrangements for Polling Staff
Alongside technical preparations, the Commission is establishing separate voting mechanisms for deployed election personnel. Sen noted that these staff members are registered voters who deserve a fair opportunity to exercise their franchise.
Providing separate voting arrangements for on-duty staff remains a standard electoral procedure. This measure ensures that officials can actively participate in the democratic process without compromising their election-day responsibilities.
