Between Polling and Counting, How EVMs are Stored in Strongroom

Syllabus: GS2/Polity

Context

• Days before the counting of votes in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed they received reports of manipulation concerning the storage of EVMs.

Procedure of Handling EVMS

• The ECI’s procedure for handling EVMs before, during and after polling is laid out in its Manual on Electronic Voting Machines, 2023.
• Before the election, EVMs are stored in a warehouse under the control of the District Election Officer (DEO), who is the District Magistrate. 
• Once elections are underway, the EVMs are randomised in the presence of representatives of national and state-recognised parties and sent to the respective strongrooms in each Assembly constituency.
• The entire process is to be conducted under 24/7 CCTV coverage, it is from these strongrooms that the EVMs are dispatched to the polling booths.
• After polls close on voting day, the EVMs are to be sealed and escorted back to the strongrooms by the poll officials and security personnel.

What are Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)?

• It is a device used to electronically record and count votes cast in elections. 
• EVMs were first used in 1982 in the Assembly constituency of Paravur in Kerala in 50 out of 123 booths.
• EVM has two parts, it consists of a ‘control unit’ and a ‘balloting unit’, connected by a 5-meter cable. 
• The control unit is with the Election Commission-appointed polling officer and it is the brain of the EVM.
• The balloting unit is in the voting compartment into which the voter enters to cast the vote in secret by pressing the button against the name and symbol of the candidate of her choice.
  • The balloting unit is turned on only after the polling officer presses the ‘Ballot’ button on it. 

Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)

• When a vote is cast, the VVPAT machine, which is attached to the ballot unit (BU) of the EVM, prints out a slip of paper with the voter’s choice indicated on it. 
  • Though it remains behind glass, the printed slip is visible for seven seconds so the voter can see that the vote has been recorded correctly, before it falls into a box underneath.
• It contains the name of the candidate (for whom vote has been cast) and symbol of the party/individual candidate.
• The idea of the VVPAT machine first emerged in 2010. However it was used for the first time in the Noksen Assembly constituency of Nagaland in 2013. 
  • The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 were amended in 2013 to allow for a printer with a drop box to be attached to the EVM. 
• From 2017, 100% of VVPATs began to be used in polls, and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections became the first general election to have 100% of EVMs being attached to VVPATs.

Significance of EVMs

• Speed: EVMs can facilitate quicker counting of votes compared to manual counting.
• Accuracy: They are designed to minimize errors in vote counting and reduce instances of invalid or spoiled ballots.
• Cost-effectiveness: Over time, EVMs save money compared to traditional paper-based voting systems by reducing the need for printing and storing paper ballots.

Conclusion

• Overall, while the VVPAT system in India represents a significant step towards enhancing transparency and accountability in elections, it continues to face criticism and scrutiny regarding its effectiveness, cost, and implementation challenges. 
• Addressing these concerns requires efforts to improve the reliability, accessibility, and public acceptance of the VVPAT system.

Source: IE