Hyderabad: India is set to vote in the Lok Sabha Elections beginning April 19 when as many as 102 constituencies across 21 states/union territories will go to polls in phase 1 of the 7-phase election.
Conducting elections in India is no mean feat. In the coming elections, an estimated 969 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots. Given the scale of these elections, India has shunned traditional paper ballot voting system and uses Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) to successfully conduct the world's biggest electoral exercise.
A question that may arise in the minds of the voters is what happens if an EVM malfunctions on the voting day, or, for that matter, right in the middle of casting a vote? The Election Commission of India (ECI) has a backup plan for such a situation. Read on to understand.
So what is an EVM?
An EVM is an electronic device for recording votes and consists of two Units – a Control Unit (CU) and a Balloting Unit (BU) – joined by a five-meter cable.
The Control Unit is placed with the Presiding Officer or a Polling Officer, and the Balloting Unit is placed inside the voting compartment. Instead of issuing a ballot paper, the Polling Officer in-charge of the Control Unit will release a ballot by pressing the Ballot Button on the Control Unit.
This will enable the voter to cast his vote by pressing the button on the Balloting Unit against the candidate and symbol of his choice.
Do EVMs need electricity to run?
EVMs do not require electricity. They run on an ordinary 7.5 volt alkaline Power -pack (manufactured using 5 AA size cells of 1.5 volt each) supplied by Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore and Electronic Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad. Therefore, even in areas with no electricity connections, EVMs can be used.
What happens if EVM in a particular polling station malfunctions?
On poll day, Zonal, Area or Sector Magistrates keep on patrolling with reserved EVMs. In case, EVM of a particular polling station goes out of order, then the same is replaced with a new one.
The votes recorded until the stage when the EVM went out of order remains safe in the memory of the Control Unit and it is sufficient to proceed with the polling after replacing the EVM with new EVM and there is no need to start the poll from the beginning. On counting day, both EVMs are counted to give the result of that polling station.
This can be further understood with this explanation offered by the election commission of India: During poll, as per defined Replacement protocol, if a BU or CU of a particular polling station goes out of order, (the fault is displayed on CU display) then the full set of BU, CU, and VVPAT is replaced with a new set from the Reserve EVMs in the presence of the polling agents appointed by the candidates.
The votes, recorded until the stage when the EVM went out of order, remain safe in the memory of the Control Unit and the VVPAT ballot slips compartment. In case only the VVPAT goes out of order, the votes recorded in the CU remain safe in its memory and therefore the polling is resumed after replacing the nonfunctional VVPAT with another VVPAT from the Reserve machines.
On the counting day, votes recorded in all EVMs used in that polling station are counted to give the aggregate result of that polling station. If the recorded votes in the Control Units cannot be ascertained due to any technical reason, VVPAT slips of the respective Control Units are counted to get the result.
What is 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.
What happens if a voter presses a wrong buttong on EVM?
Once a citizen becomes eligible to vote and enrolls as a voter, the Election Commission issues a voter slip confirming their name on the voter list. This slip, accompanied by a recognized photo ID, serves as a voter card.
When the voter selects a candidate by pressing the corresponding button on the EVM, the lamp next to the choice turns red and a beep confirms the vote.
This dual audio-visual feedback ensures the vote is recorded accurately. Additionally, the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) provides a paper slip for visual confirmation of the voter's choice.
Once a button on the EVM is pressed, the machine records the vote exclusively for that candidate, preventing any subsequent or erroneous inputs. If a mistake is made, the voter can correct it only when the presiding officer releases the ballot by pressing a designated button, a significant improvement over traditional ballot paper systems.
Under Rule 49MA of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, if a voter claims a mistake, the presiding officer can obtain a written declaration. If the voter’s claim is valid, they can record a test vote on the machine, witnessing the printed paper slip.
Should the claim prove true, the presiding officer must swiftly report to the returning officer, halt further voting on that machine, and follow the returning officer's instructions. This process ensures the integrity of the voting process and addresses any concerns promptly.
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