Panaji (Goa) In a proud moment, Goa State has won the award for excellence in innovation during the General Assembly election held in February, last year. Goa was the first state to make use of other verifiable paper audit trail system (VVPAT), along with electronic voting machines (EVMs) for elections.

The prestigious award was received by Chief Electoral Officer IAS Kunal, at the hands of President of India Ram Nath Kovind at a function organised by Election Commission of India in Delhi on the occasion of National Voters Day on January 25.

Development of quality information education and communication material in local language and dissemination trough digital media enrolment of marginalized community wanarmaare tribe, were some of the initiative by CEO.

Meanwhile, North Goa Collector IAS Nila Mohanan bagged the Special Award for Best Electoral Practices for Election Management.

Paresh Phaldessai SDM and ERO South Goa also bagged the special award for electoral Roll Management.