No more dummy namesakes, EVMs to display candidates' photos from May

New Delhi, March 30: Starting from Friday, May 1, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will feature the photographs of the contesting candidates, to curb the menace of dummy candidates.

The decision was taken Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Chief Electoral Officers (CEO) of all states and union territories have been told to implement the decision from May 2015. Dummy namesakes that create confusion among voters will soon be a thing of the past.

According to a report published in TOI, the order was issued by the principal secretary-KF Wilfred on Monday, March 16.

The photograph of the candidates ( of 2 cm * 2.5 cm size) will appear on right side between their names and symbols of the parties.

Bihar to become 1st state to implement the order

With assembly elections scheduled in October-November this year, Bihar will become the first state to implement the decision while voting for 243 constituencies.

In 2016, assembly elections will take place in Puducherry (30 seats), Assam (126 seats), Tamil Nadu (234 seats), West Bengal (294 seats) and Kerala (140 seats).

In July 2014, the Supreme Court had issued notice to the Election Commission on a PIL which sought directions for mandatory display of photographs of people contesting elections on EVMs to curb the menace of dummy namesakes.

OneIndia News