STAFF REPORTER GUWAHATI:
VVPATs Counting in Each Assam LAC: At least five VVPATs (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails) will be counted in each LAC (Legislative Assembly Constituency) during the counting of votes on May 2, 2021. If the RO (Returning Officer) thinks the counting of more VVPATs necessary, he or she can do so following the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The VVPAT is a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballot-less voting system. It's EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) in our case.
According to the Assam State Election Department during the State Assembly election, 2021 VVPAT is used against each EVM in each polling station. Thereby, the number of the VVPAT is the same as that of the EVM.
Sources in the State Election Department said that on May 2, 2021, the postal ballots will be counted first from 8 am. The counting of assam votes cast in EVMs will start at 8.30 am on that day. There are 126 strongrooms where EVMs and VVPATs have been kept. According to the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, EVM & VVPAT boxes will be sanitised before taking them to the counting halls. This conforms with the COVID-19 protocol.
Sources in the State Election Department said that each counting hall will have a maximum of seven counting tables, and there will be a micro observer for each of the counting tables. Micro observers are Central Government employees.