The Supreme Court has heard a batch of petitions seeking complete cross-verification of votes polled on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips. As the court expressed concerns about preserving the people's faith in the system, the Election Commission of India (ECI) was questioned on the technical and operational aspects of EVMs and VVPATs. The court emphasized the need to allay any apprehensions and ensure the sanctity of the electoral process. The Senior Deputy Election Commissioner clarified the technical aspects of the machines and reiterated that all information about their functioning is in the public domain.
VVPAT: Ensuring Transparency in India's Electoral Process
Background
In India, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been widely used since 2000 to facilitate transparent and efficient elections. However, concerns have been raised about the reliability and verifiability of EVM results. To address these concerns, the Election Commission of India (ECI) introduced the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system in 2010.
VVPAT is a system that generates a paper trail for each vote cast on an EVM. After casting their vote on the EVM, the voter is given a VVPAT slip that displays the candidate and party they voted for. The slip is then dropped into a sealed container, allowing for later verification of the vote against the VVPAT slips.
Supreme Court Hearing
In May 2023, the Supreme Court heard a batch of petitions seeking complete cross-verification of votes polled on EVMs with VVPAT slips. The court expressed concerns about preserving the people's faith in the electoral system and questioned the ECI on the technical and operational aspects of EVMs and VVPATs.
ECI's Response
The Senior Deputy Election Commissioner clarified the technical aspects of the machines and reiterated that all information about their functioning is in the public domain. The ECI also stated that:
Top 5 FAQs on EVMs and VVPATs
Q1: How are VVPAT slips verified? A1: After the polls close, VVPAT slips are tallied against the EVM results. Any discrepancies are investigated by the ECI.
Q2: Can EVMs be hacked? A2: The ECI maintains that EVMs cannot be hacked as they are tamper-proof and have no internet connectivity.
Q3: Are VVPAT slips completely reliable? A3: While VVPAT slips provide an additional layer of verification, they can still be subject to accidental errors or intentional manipulation.
Q4: Why is VVPAT verification not mandatory for all elections? A4: The ECI has stated that mandatory VVPAT verification for all elections would be a complex and time-consuming process.
Q5: What are the advantages of using VVPATs? A5: VVPATs provide a physical record of votes, increase voter confidence, and enable the verification of election results in case of disputes.
Conclusion
The VVPAT system has been implemented in India to enhance the transparency and verifiability of the electoral process. While VVPATs provide an additional layer of assurance, they are not without their limitations. The ECI continues to make efforts to improve the integrity and security of the electoral system, including the use of EVMs and VVPATs.
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