Bihar assembly elections 2020: Here’s how you can cast your vote using the EVM and VVPAT

New Delhi, Oct 22: The Bihar Assembly Elections for 243 constituencies will be held in three phases with first of the three phase polling to be held on October 28. The polling for the second and the third phase will be conducted on November 3 and 7- while counting of all votes will take place on November 10

The elections will be conducted through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).

EVMs were introduced in 1982 and have been in use since to conduct both general and assembly elections. The Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail, a later addition to the EVMs, provides a visual verification to the voter after the vote is cast.

The EVM has two parts - a control unit with the polling officer and a balloting unit inside the voting compartment for voters to record their votes.

Through the Control Unit of the EVM, the polling officer releases a ballot. This then enables the voter to press the button on the balloting unit against the candidate and symbol of their choice.

The VVPAT system attached to the EVM generates a paper slip and displays it for 7 seconds to allow the voter to verify that their vote is cast correctly before the slip drops into a sealed box.

After polling when the votes are counted, the printed VVPAT slips from 5 randomly selected polling stations in each Assembly Constituency are matched against the EVM results. The final result for the constituency is declared after the VVPAT matching process is completed.

In case of a discrepancy between the VVPAT count and the EVM results, the printed paper slips count is taken as final as per the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961.

Who is eligible to vote?

• Are an Indian citizen.
• Have attained the age of 18 years on the qualifying date i.e. 1st of January of the year of revision of electoral roll (2020).
• Are ordinarily resident of the part/polling area of the constituency where you want to be enrolled
• Are not disqualified to be enrolled as an elector.

Steps to follow while casting vote

1. Carry any one of the approved Identity Card documents and Voter slip* (given at booth/generated using Voter Helpline App) to the polling station.
2. Voters will be asked to stand in queue maintaining physical distance.
3. A physician will take your temperature at the polling booth
4. Gloves will be provided to the voter
5. The polling officer instead of issuing a ballot paper, presses the Ballot Button on the EVM which enables the voter to cast their vote.
6. A list of candidates names and/or symbols will be available on the machine with a blue button next to it.
7. The votes has to simply press the button next to the candidate's name they wish to vote for.
8. After voting, you will have to dispose of the used glove in a dustbin and sanitize your hands before exiting the polling station