Gangtok, Jan 21 (PTI) The Election department of Sikkim has launched a statewide awareness programme on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), an official release said.

The election department deployed 26 demonstration centres and six mobile vans to carry out awareness programme across six districts to provide citizens with a first-hand experience of the voting process and familiarisation with the machines, the release said.

Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Telangana Congress Gears Up for Direct Fight With BJP, Eyes 12 out of 17 Seats in General Polls.

The awareness programme is carried out ahead of every general election and state legislative assembly aimed at educating the voters about the functioning of EVMs and VVPATs by apprising them of step-by-step procedure for casting votes and verify their choices through the VVPAT slip, it said.

Assembly elections in the Himalayan state are due this year along with Lok Sabha elections.

Also Read | Ram Temple Inauguration: Jodhpur's Famous 'Ramnami' Turbans Brought to Ayodhya Ahead of 'Pran Pratishtha'.

Awareness through physical demonstration fosters a deeper understanding of EVM and VVPAT functionality and is instrumental in dispelling misconceptions, boosting voter confidence, and ensuring a more informed and participative electorate, the release added.

The programme includes outreach and awareness activities in all 32 assembly constituencies spread across six districts of Sikkim.

As per the ECI's standing guidelines, the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all states are mandated to carry out a focused awareness campaign around three months prior to the announcement of election.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)