Amid the ongoing Indian Lok Sabha elections, the Supreme Court rejected all pleas for 100 percent verification of votes on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) through the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) method. The court emphasized the importance of maintaining trust and harmony among all pillars of democracy, while also acknowledging the need for meaningful criticism. The Election Commission of India has been asked to explain the steps of cross-verifying VVPAT slips with EVMs in order to uphold the sanctity of the electoral process. The use of VVPAT allows voters to confirm the accuracy of their votes, but its current implementation only covers a small percentage of EVMs. The dismissed petitions sought for every vote cast on EVMs to be cross-verified with VVPAT slips, amid widespread concerns about the security and reliability of the EVM voting system.
The Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in India: A History of Contention
Background
The Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been used in India since 2004 to replace the traditional ballot box system. However, the introduction of EVMs has been met with skepticism and concerns about the possibility of electoral fraud.
In 2013, the Supreme Court of India ordered the introduction of VVPATs as a safeguard to enhance the transparency and credibility of EVMs. VVPATs provide a physical trail of the vote cast, allowing voters to verify that their vote has been recorded correctly.
Current Scenario
Despite the implementation of VVPATs, concerns about the security and reliability of EVMs persist. Recently, there have been demands for 100% VVPAT verification of votes cast on EVMs during elections.
However, in the midst of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the Supreme Court rejected all pleas for 100% VVPAT verification. The court emphasized the importance of maintaining trust and harmony among all pillars of democracy while acknowledging the need for meaningful criticism.
Top 5 FAQs and Answers
1. What is VVPAT? A: VVPAT stands for Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail. It is a system that provides a physical trail of the vote cast on an EVM. When a voter casts their vote, a slip is generated and displayed for a few seconds before it is dropped into a sealed box.
2. Why is VVPAT important? A: VVPATs provide a safeguard against electoral fraud by allowing voters to verify that their vote has been recorded correctly. It helps to maintain the transparency and credibility of EVM voting systems.
3. Why did the Supreme Court reject pleas for 100% VVPAT verification? A: The Supreme Court emphasized the importance of maintaining trust and harmony among all pillars of democracy. It also noted that the current level of VVPAT verification (50% randomly selected EVMs) is sufficient to detect any anomalies.
4. What is the current status of VVPATs in India? A: VVPATs are currently being used in all EVMs in India. However, the level of verification is 50% randomly selected EVMs.
5. What are the concerns raised about EVMs and VVPATs? A: Concerns about the security and reliability of EVMs and VVPATs include potential for tampering, hacking, and the possibility of vote manipulation. However, the Election Commission of India has repeatedly assured that these systems are tamper-proof and reliable.
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