Mangaluru : The VVPAT machines ensure that every vote is verified by the voter himself. We are ready for the upcoming Elections. We expect the voting process to be done ethically, especially by the student community”, said District Collector Sasikanth Senthil in a press meet held at the DC Office here on April 8.

The commissioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and symbol loading for the April 18 Lok Sabha elections in Dakshina Kannada will be done on April 10 at eight centres.

Briefing presspersons here on Monday, he said that it will done in the presence of representatives of contesting candidates at the centres attached to eight Assembly segments.

The centres are SDM Pre-University College, Ujire (Belthangady); Dhavala College, Moodbidri (Moodbidri); Rosario Education Institute, Pandeshwar (Mangaluru City North); Canara High School, Urwa (Mangaluru City South); Ramakrishna College, Bunts Hostel (Mangaluru); Infant Jesus English Medium and Kannada Medium School, Modamkaup (Bantwal); Vivekananda Kannada Medium School, Tenkila (Puttur), and Government Pre-University College, Sullia (Sullia).

Mr. Senthil said that the constituency will have 1,861 polling booths. In all, 2,236 EVMs, including control unit and balloting unit, have been allocated. In addition, 2,495 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units have been distributed to the Assembly segments in the constituency.

The highest number of 249 polling booths are in Bantwal Assembly segments and the lowest number of 210 polling booths are in Mangaluru Assembly constituency.

“We have 30% VVPATs in excess,” he said.

The Deputy Commissioner said that 72 flying squads and an equal number of static surveillance teams and 25 video surveillance teams are on duty in the constituency.

He said that the commission seized ₹28.1 lakh cash since the declaration of model code of conduct in the constituency. But they have been returned after verifying the related documents.

In all, 461 cases of excise law violations and three election expenditure-related cases have been registered in the constituency.

Mr. Senthil said that voters can not produce ration card and voter’s slip, as proof, for voting this election.

Voter’s slip was allowed in last year’s Assembly election, but not now. Many people might be of the view that ration card is allowed as proof for voting. It is not among 11 documents specified by the Election Commission as proof.

It is better to bring the EPIC or voter’s card. If it is lost one can produce Aadhaar card and 10 other documents mentioned by the commission.