Govt okays Rs 3,000 cr to buy VVPATs to be used with EVMs in 2019 polls

April 20, 2017

Delhi: The Election Commission said on Wednesday that it will closely monitor production of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) for timely delivery well before 2019 General Elections.

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"Commission will ensure total compliance of orders of SC and its commitment to use VVPATs with every EVM at all poll stations in 2019 polls," the EC was quoted as saying.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the EC's proposal to buy paper trail machines for electronic voting machines (EVMs), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.

Talking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Jaitley said a total of 16,15,000 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units would be needed for the EVMs as per the Election Commission estimates.

"The Election Commission had been consistently demanding VVPAT machines to hold elections. The Cabinet approved the demand today." This would cost Rs 3,173.47 crore, he said.

"If we place the order in April, the whole supply would come by September 2018... Hence, VVPAT machines would be available in all polling booths in the subsequent elections," Jaitley said.

He added that the expenses on the procurement of these machines would be spread over two financial years.

Jaitley said the government would immediately provide Rs 1,600 crore to the poll panel and the rest in the next financial year.

"There has been a controversy over EVMs after the latest assembly poll results. The Prime Minister said it was an unnecessary controversy... It has no importance. EVMs have been tried and tested over the years."

Jaitley said the move would bring more transparency in the voting process. "Voters have a right to know if their votes are correctly registered or not."

The VVPAT units will be manufactured by the Bharat Electronics Ltd and Electronics Corp of India Ltd, the two public sector companies which also manufacture EVMs.

Several parties, including the Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and Aam Aadmi Party have alleged that EVMs can be tampered with.

The Election Commission has refuted the charges.

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News Network
October 26,2024

Mangaluru, Oct 26: In a distressing case of online harassment, Surathkal police in Mangaluru have apprehended a man, identified as Shariq, on charges of cyber harassment that allegedly led a woman to attempt suicide. 

The case took a dark turn when the woman reported that her Facebook account was hacked, leading to an influx of explicit, threatening messages directed at her brother, Kishan, and friend, Harshith.

According to Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal, the complaint, registered on October 22, specifically accused Shariq of orchestrating the harassment. Summoned for questioning, Shariq’s mobile phones and social media accounts were initially reviewed, but no conclusive evidence surfaced.

The case escalated when the woman reportedly received more abusive messages on October 24, pushing her to a point of desperation. Following her suicide attempt, police intensified the probe, reaching out to social media platforms for further verification. 

The Surathkal police have filed charges under sections 78(1)(i), 351(1 & 2), and 3(5) of the BNS, with the investigation ongoing to uncover the full extent of the cyber harassment network.

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News Network
October 26,2024

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Udupi, Oct 26: In a heartbreaking incident in Beejadi village near Kundapur in Udupi district, two young men were swept away by a powerful wave while swimming in the sea on Saturday morning. 

Santosh, 21, was pulled from the water by local fishermen and residents, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Ajay, who was also caught in the wave, remains missing, according to Kundapur police.

The duo, along with friends Shreyas and Mokshith, had been staying at the Sahana Sun Caste Resort to attend a wedding. Ignoring warnings from locals about the dangers of entering the sea, the group ventured into the water. Around 9:30 a.m., a large wave suddenly engulfed them, sweeping Ajay and Santosh into deeper waters.

Police reported that Ajay hailed from Hangalli village near Kundapur, while Santosh was from Dasarahalli near Bengaluru. Expert divers have been dispatched to the scene in hopes of locating Ajay’s body.

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News Network
October 29,2024

Mangaluru: A fraud case involving ₹43.32 lakh has been reported at the CEN station, where an individual was deceived under the guise of investment opportunities. 

The victim was promised high returns from stock and Initial Public Offering (IPO) transactions.

According to the complaint, the victim received a WhatsApp message on September 25 from an unknown sender identifying himself as Manju Pachisi, an Assistant at IIFL Securities Limited. 

The sender encouraged the victim to invest by sharing an online link, claiming significant profits could be earned from stock and IPO transactions.

Additionally, another link was sent via the Telegram app. Trusting the information, the victim transferred a total of ₹43.32 lakh in phases between September 26 and October 23. 

However, when he attempted to withdraw his funds, he was informed that he needed to pay a 25 percent commission. Realizing he had been duped, the victim promptly filed a complaint with the authorities.

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