Thiruvananthapuram: A police case has been filed against a youth who claimed that the name displayed on the slip produced in the VVPAT (Voter verifiable paper audit trail) machine did not match the candidate whom he voted for. The Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Police registered a case against Ebin who cast his vote at booth number 151 at the Pattam Kenriya Vidyalaya on Tuesday morning.
Ebin said he had voted for the candidate that he intended for. However, he claimed, the slip in the VVPAT machine displayed another candidate’s name. The returning officer asked him to submit a compliant in writing. An inspection poll was then conducted using the same machine following his complaint. A case under IPC section 177 was registered against Ebin after his claim was founded to be invalid.
Chief election officer Tikkaram Meena, meanwhile, clarified that a case under IPC section 177 would be filed against those who accuse of voting irregularities if they fail to prove it. The presiding officer has to inform about it to the voter who raises an objection. If the voter stays firm in his claim, then an official complaint has to be submitted on a signed declaration form.
Steps to follow
If the name displayed on the slip in the VVPAT machine is not of the candidate that you voted for, inform the presiding officer about it. The officer would then inform the voter about the penalties if his/her claim is found to be invalid. If the voter stands firm on his/her decision to proceed with the complaint, one more opportunity to do a test vote would be given to that person. However, this time, he/she has to cast the vote in the presence of the presiding officer and the polling agents.
If the name displayed on the slip in the VVPAT machine matches the candidate whom the person voted for, then the complaint would be declared invalid. Those who raise invalid or misleading complaints about the functioning of the polling machines could be imprisoned up to six months, besides a fine of Rs 1,000. In case, the name displayed on the slip do not match the candidate whom the voter voted for, then the polling would be halted.
