Gujarat, Himachal polls: EC mandates VVPATs, HP to use new online system

It added the draw of lots 'must be conducted immediately after the completion of the last round of counting' of votes from the EVMs

The Election Commission (EC) has sent detailed instructions to the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of poll-bound Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat for mandatory use of VVPAT machines at all polling stations and counting of paper slips in the coming assembly polls.

The poll panel has directed the CEOs that apart from the use of voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines at all polling stations, there would be mandatory verification of paper slips of VVPATs from one randomly selected polling station from each assembly constituency "on a pilot basis".