VVPAT Not Possible in Municipal and Zilla Parishad Elections, Clarifies State Election Commission

The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has clarified that the use of VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) machines in municipal corporation and zilla parishad elections is not legally possible under the existing laws.

Recently, delegations from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) had met the State Election Commission, urging for the inclusion of VVPAT systems in upcoming local self-government elections to ensure greater transparency in the voting process.

Responding to this demand, the Commission explained that according to current legal provisions, local body elections are conducted using ballot papers or EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) — but the law does not provide for the use of VVPAT systems in these polls.

The clarification puts an end to ongoing discussions about implementing VVPAT technology at the local level. The SEC emphasized that any such change would require an amendment in the governing law and approval from the state legislature.

While political parties have been pressing for greater transparency to boost public trust in the electoral process, the Commission maintained that it must operate strictly within the legal framework set by the government.