EVMs to have candidates' photos in Rajasthan bypolls

Jaipur: For the first time, electronic voting machines will have pictures of candidates along with their names. Election commission is going to using this experiment in bypoll in Rajasthan later this month. Bypolls are to be held for Lok Sabha seats of Ajmer and Alwar and Mandalgarh assembly constituencies on January 29.

Under the new system, EVMs will have name, photo and election symbol of a candidate in that order. For NOTA, space for photo will be kept blank. Postal ballot papers will also have photos of candidates but there the name of candidates will be mentioned in first in English then Hindi and the photo will come at the last. 

“This has been done to avoid confusion among voters regarding their candidate’s identity. This provision is for a Parliamentary or Assembly seat where two candidates are of same name," said chief election officer Ashvini Bhagat.