No takers for VVPAT campaign in Secunderabad Cantonment

SECUNDERABAD: The much-touted awareness drive on the newly-introduced voter verifiable paper audit trails (VVPATs) fell flat as voters in Secunderabad Cantonment assembly constituency gave a thumbs down with very few turning up at the EVM centres. An abysmal turnout of less than 100 voters at these centres left the officials squirming in their seats.
“We were surprised as the number has not crossed even 100.Twenty seven officials have been deployed at nine centres to educate voters on use of EVMs and VVPATs but it appears there are no takers for our drive,” a senior SCB official told STOI. Following a directive from the CEO and DEO, Hyderabad, the SCB election wing had set up these awareness centres 10 days ago.
The nine centres, include Bowenpally SCB circle office (ward No I), Cantonment Community Hall, Rasoolpura (ward No II), Cantonment workshop (ward No III), SCB circle office (ward No IV), Cantonment pumphouse, Mahendra Hills (ward No V), St Peter’s High School, Sitharampur (ward No VI), Community Hall, Teachers’ Colony (ward No VII), SCB circle office and Bolarum (ward No VIII), besides one in Kasturba College.