National
All Himachal polling stations to have paper audit trail
New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines will be used in all the 7,000-odd polling stations in the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.K. Joti said on Thursday.
Himachal Pradesh is the second state where 100 per cent VVPAT deployment will be done. It was used in all polling stations in Goa in February this year.
Paper slips from one randomly selected polling station from each constituency will be counted and matched with ballot unit figures, Joti said.
He said when a voter casts his or her vote on the electronic voting machine (EVM), the VVPAT unit attached will churn out a slip measuring 10×5.6 cm showing the serial number, name and the symbol voted for. It will flash for seven seconds before it falls in the box.
“We have issued detailed instructions to the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) that the main focus of our SVEEP activities must be to familiarise the voters with VVPAT and its use because it is difficult for a common man to understand what a VVPAT is,” the CEC said.
“So the voter can now see and verify that his vote went to the right candidate. The most important thing in transparency and credibility in election is that a voter can verify himself that his vote went to the right person. I think this is a unique system in India,” Joti said.
Besides, there would be several ‘firsts’ in the Himachal election. For the first time, each of the 68 assembly constituencies would have two “all-women” polling stations where all the polling staff including the security personnel will be women. There will be 136 such polling stations in the state.
Also, for the first time the electronically transmitted postal ballot system (ETPBS) will be used in all the constituencies for service voters. Under this system, a ballot paper bearing names and symbols of all the candidates is electronically sent to the service voters, who then after inking it, send it back to the EC through normal postal service.
The ETPBS was earlier used on a pilot basis in some constituencies of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Manipur and in all 40 constituencies in Goa in the assembly elections held earlier this year.
Also, to enhance the secrecy of the ballot, the poll panel has increased the height of voting compartment from 24 inches to 30 inches. The compartment would be uniformly made of corrugated plastic sheet of steel grey colour which is completely opaque and reusable, the EC said.
In another first, the EC will distribute a voter guide brochure in the local languages to every household ahead of the polling. The brochure will contain information such as the date and time of polling, contact details of BLO, important websites, helpline numbers and the documents required for identification at the polling station apart from ‘Dos’ and Don’ts’ for voters at the polling station.
The state is scheduled to go to polls on November 9. The results will be declared on December 18.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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