Why in the news? 

The Supreme Court has decided to hear petitions seeking 100% cross-verification of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with the vote count as per Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

What is the history of the Voting Process?

• First two General Elections: In the Elections of 1952 and 1957, a separate box was placed for each candidate with their election symbol. Voters had to drop a blank ballot paper into the box of the candidate whom they wanted to vote for.
• Third Election: In the third election, the ballot paper with names of candidates and their symbols was introduced with voters putting a stamp on the candidate of their choice.
• Introduction of EVM in Lok Sabha Elections: In the 2004 general elections to the Lok Sabha, EVMs were used in all 543 constituencies.
• Global Scenario:
  • Many Western democracies, including England, France, The Netherlands, and the United States, have opted to continue using paper ballots for their National or Federal Elections instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
  • Some countries have discontinued the use of EVMs after trials over the past two decades. For example, Germany’s Supreme Court declared the use of EVMs in elections unconstitutional in 2009.

Significance of EVM: 

• Prevention of Booth Capturing: EVMs have significantly reduced the likelihood of booth capturing, a practice where unauthorized individuals seize control of polling booths to manipulate votes.
• Elimination of Invalid Votes: EVMs have effectively eliminated invalid votes, which were a common issue with paper ballots.
• Environmental Sustainability: With a large electorate size like India’s, which is close to one billion, the use of EVMs contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing the consumption of paper.
• Administrative Convenience: EVMs provide administrative convenience for polling officers on the day of the poll. They simplify the voting process, making it easier for voters to cast their ballots and for officials to manage polling stations efficiently.

Limitations on using EVM: 

• Susceptibility to Hacking Allegations: Despite assurances from electoral authorities, doubts have been raised about the security of EVMs, with concerns that they may be vulnerable to hacking due to their electronic nature.
• Limited Sample Size for VVPAT Verification: The current practice of verifying the EVM count with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips has a small sample size of only five per assembly constituency/segment.
• Identification of Polling Behavior: The process of matching EVM counts with VVPAT slips at the booth level allows for the identification of polling behavior by various political parties. This information could potentially be used for profiling voters and intimidation, undermining the secrecy and fairness of the electoral process.

Way Forward:

• Enhancing Transparency and Comprehensibility: In a transparent democracy, citizens should be able to understand and verify the election process without requiring specialized technical knowledge.
• Scientific Sampling for EVM-VVPAT Matching: Rather than a 100% match, the sample for matching the EVM count with VVPAT slips should be determined scientifically, possibly by dividing each state into large regions as suggested by experts.
• Error Resolution: In case any error is detected, the VVPAT slips for the concerned region should be fully counted, forming the basis for results. This would instill statistically significant confidence in the counting process.

Mains PYQ 

Q In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India?

Q To enhance the quality of democracy in India the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make democracy successful?

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