All VVPAT to be in by November: EC
New Delhi, July 25 : The Election Commission on Wednesday said 5.88 lakh units of VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) have been produced so far and the remaining 10.27 lakh units would be procured by November, allowing it the time for making pre-poll preparations for the 2019 general elections.
"VVPAT deliveries have been delayed due to analysis of "technology stabilization issues in the initial batches and incorporates essential design improvements", the EC said in a report on Wednesday highlighting how the Commission was struggling to meet the deadline.
The EC said in a statement that even after continuous monitoring, all VVPATs will be delivered well before the end of November 2018, well within the time required for making pre-poll preparations.
In order to meet the requirement of VVPATs for 100 per cent saturation of all polling stations for the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, the Commission had placed an order for 16.15 lakh VVPATs with state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL).
To date, 5.88 lakh units have been produced by the PSUs (4.36 lakh by BEL and 1.52 lakh by ECIL), which is 36 per cent of the total quantity to be supplied," it said.
"Both the PSUs have assured the Commission that the remaining VVPAT units (10.27 lakh) will be manufactured and supplied to the various states/UTs before end of November 2018."
"The Commission is committed to 100 per cent deployment of VVPATs at all polling stations in all elections," it said.
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HC verdict: No question of CM's resignation, says Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said there is no question of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resigning over the High Court dismissing his petition challenging Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's approval for investigation against him in a site allotment case.
He alleged that there was a "big conspiracy" against the Chief Minister, as he asserted that the latter has done no wrong in the issue and will come out clean.
When questioned about BJP demanding CM's resignation over the High Court's order, Shivakumar said: "There is no question, the CM has not done anything wrong. He is not involved in any scam. It is a political conspiracy by the BJP against all opposition leaders in the country, this is what is going on."
Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President, said he and his party stand in support of the Chief Minister, who is doing a good job for the party and the state.
He was reacting to High Court on Tuesday dismissing Siddaramaiah's petition challenging Governor's approval for investigation against him in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case.
"(There is a) big conspiracy against our Chief Minister, like how the BJP had hatched a big conspiracy against me by filing a case and sending me to jail. Because of God's grace I came out. The case in which I went to jail was dismissed. Similarly they have hatched a conspiracy against the Chief Minister and his family," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters as he emerged from an event, where he shared the stage with Siddaramaiah here, he said: "He (Siddaramaiah) will come out clean. Let any investigation be ordered or do anything. According to me, he has done no wrong...we are with the Chief Minister."
The BJP is unable to digest the (welfare) programmes given by Siddaramaiah to the state, Shivakumar said. "There is a big conspiracy."
Asked if the court's order is a setback to the Chief Minister and the government, he said, "I need to see the order...what setback? You are saying that the court has said an investigation has to happen, I need to see."
