📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Sharada Prasad CS
Politics
Tripura Municipal Elections to Proceed Without VVPATs, SEC Says
✍️ Tripuratimes
🗓 13 Nov 2026, 05:36 AM
👁 9
The State Election Commission has confirmed that VVPATs will not be used in Tripura's municipal polls because the EVMs deployed are incompatible with the system.
The State Election Commission (SEC) of Tripura has clarified that Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines will not be deployed in the upcoming municipal elections. The decision comes after a review of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) that are currently in use, which the SEC found to be incompatible with VVPAT integration.
VVPATs are designed to provide voters with a paper record of their vote, allowing for verification and audit. However, the SEC noted that the existing EVMs in Tripura lack the necessary hardware or software support to connect with VVPAT units.
The SEC’s statement was issued to address concerns from political parties and civil society groups about the transparency of the voting process. While the elections will proceed without VVPATs, the commission has assured that all other electoral protocols will remain intact.
Observers will monitor the conduct of the polls closely, as the absence of VVPATs is a first for the state’s municipal elections. The SEC has not indicated any plans to upgrade the EVMs before the polls take place.
VVPATs are designed to provide voters with a paper record of their vote, allowing for verification and audit. However, the SEC noted that the existing EVMs in Tripura lack the necessary hardware or software support to connect with VVPAT units.
The SEC’s statement was issued to address concerns from political parties and civil society groups about the transparency of the voting process. While the elections will proceed without VVPATs, the commission has assured that all other electoral protocols will remain intact.
Observers will monitor the conduct of the polls closely, as the absence of VVPATs is a first for the state’s municipal elections. The SEC has not indicated any plans to upgrade the EVMs before the polls take place.