Context: The Congress general secretary has written to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), requesting that a delegation from the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), be granted an appointment to enable them to present their views on Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.
About Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)
In general, it means voting using electronic means to either aid or take care of the work related to casting and counting votes. Section 61A of the Representation of People Act, 1951 allows the use of EVMs by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
- These are stand-alone non-networked machines.
- An EVM is designed with two units: control unit and the balloting unit.
- These units are joined together by a cable.
- The control unit of the EVM is kept with the presiding officer or the polling officer.
- The balloting unit is kept within the voting compartment for electors to cast their votes.
- This is done to ensure that the polling officer verifies your identity.
- In India, these are manufactured in two PSUs namely ECIL and BEL.
- The software used in these is One Time Programmable, which cannot be re-written after manufacturing.
Process of Voting
- EVM, instead of issuing a ballot paper, the polling officer will press the Ballot Button which enables the voter to cast their vote.
- A list of candidate’s names and/or symbols will be available on the machine with a blue button next to it.
- The voter can press the button next to the candidate’s name they wish to vote for.
To bring about greater transparency, as many political parties have criticised the use of technology in elections will favour the ruling party, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India (SC) allowed the ECI to introduce VVPAT in a phased manner.
About Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)
Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) is an independent system attached with the Electronic Voting Machines that allows the voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended.
When a vote is cast, a slip is printed containing the serial number, name and symbol of the candidate and remains exposed through a transparent window for 7 seconds.
Thereafter, this printed slip automatically gets cut and falls in the sealed drop box of the VVPAT.
In 2019, the Supreme Court admitted a petition filed by 23 political parties regarding the counting of printed slips from 50% of VVPATs. While the Supreme Court upheld the integrity of the EVM system, this decision was made in the interest of greater stakeholder satisfaction. It also increases the sample size of VVPATs to be matched with the EVM count, from 1 station per assembly to 5 polling stations.