E.V.M. To Carry Candidate Photo To Avoid Confusion On Similar Names

Mumbai: EVMs and postal ballot papers will take photographs of all the candidates to help voters identify the political leaders, Election Commission said to PTI.

Announcing the April 7 parliamentary elections, the Election Commission, which commences on 11th April and ends on 19th May, said that the provision to print the candidate’s photographs will help to avoid any illusions which will be the same as candidates of the same name can be generated when contesting elections from the constituency.

The photograph will be printed on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) ballot units as well as on postal ballot papers, the EC said.

For this purpose, candidates are required to submit photographs of their latest stamp size according to the specifications laid down by the Returning Officer, Commission.

The Election Commission also said that India had voted for the first time in 2009 with voter list. In that year, there was no photo voter list in Assam, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland, whereas voters’ identity cards were not distributed to voters in Assam and Nagaland.

Whereas not all the states and union territories have photo electoral rolls and photographs of 99.72 per cent electors are already printed in the electoral rolls. Besides, 99.36 per cent of electors have been given EPIC.

The Election Commission said that before the election, the percentage of voters with EPIC and electoral rolls is likely to increase before elections in many states and union territories.

The Commission also said that the official voter’s slip of the photo of the voter (wherever the roll is present) will be distributed at least five days before the voting date.

(With PTI Inputs)