The VVPT is a prototype of the present electronic voting machines (EVM) fitted with a printing apparatus where a voter would be able to see the candidate to whom he or she has cast his vote. However, the voter will not get a copy of the paper receipt.
The poll panel has approved the VVPT, developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and the Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL).
'This new machine will supplement the existing electronic voting machines. It will be tested during the simulated elections in five districts of five states on July 24,' Meghalaya's Chief Electoral Officer Prashant Naik told IANS.
The five districts are Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Cherrapunjee in Meghalaya, East Delhi in Delhi and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.
'These five areas were selected because of the extreme weather conditions. We wanted to get an effective assessment on these new machines,' Naik said.
The VVPT trial was decided after the commission's meeting with all political parties in October last year and repeated allegations that the EVMs are being tampered with to manipulate election results.
Various political parties have been demanding that the VVPT system be introduced for ensuring 'free and fair elections'.
The results of these simulated elections would be declared July 25.