Indian Statistical Institute presents report on VVPAT sample size to EC

The Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) has presented its report on the sample size of voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) slip counting to Election Commission. The report submitted by the expert committee shall now be examined by the commission.

New Delhi: Ahead of the elections, the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) presented its report on the sample size of voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) slip counting to Election Commission on Friday. The report titled 'Random Sampling for Testing of EVMs via VVPAT Slip Verification' submitted by the expert committee shall now be examined by the commission.

Amid the demands of political parties to increase the number of polling stations where paper trail machine slips are matched with Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) results to dispel fears of rigging. Political parties had been demanding that at least 10 to 30 percent of VVPAT slips should be counted and matched with the total vote count by electronic voting machines (EVMs).

In the previous year, when political parties demanded over the increase of polling stations, the Chief Election Commissioner, OP Rawat said, "The poll panel will take the call on this issue after the report submitted by ISI".