Election Commission addresses EVM security in Supreme Court | Fusion - WeRIndia

The Election Commission of India (ECI) outlined the stringent security measures and operational protocols in place for the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units. This detailed explanation has been given to the Supreme Court by the ECI.

This discussion came during a hearing on petitions demanding 100% verification of EVM votes with VVPAT slips, a measure currently implemented randomly for five EVMs in each Assembly segment.

The ECI clarified to the court that the manufacturing process of EVMs ensures complete confidentiality regarding which party will be assigned to each button and the eventual location of each machine.

It emphasized that the internal workings of the EVM, which consists of a ballot unit, a control unit, and a VVPAT unit (essentially a printer), are designed to safeguard the voting process.

The VVPAT machines, equipped with 4 MB flash memory, have candidate symbols loaded only seven days before voting. This process occurs in the presence of candidates or their representatives to maintain transparency. When a voter presses a button on the ballot unit, it signals the control unit, which then prompts the VVPAT unit to print a slip with the corresponding symbol.

The commission addressed concerns about machine tampering and security. In this context, it explained that VVPAT units are calibrated in a secure environment where the final testing is witnessed by returning officers and candidate representatives who sign to confirm the accuracy of the loaded symbols. 

Moreover, roughly 17 lakh VVPAT machines are stored in strong rooms that cannot be accessed unilaterally, ensuring their security until the polling day.

Additionally, the commission conducts mock polls on election day where candidates can select 5% of machines at random for testing. VVPAT slips are then counted and matched to ensure accuracy.

The court session also addressed a disputed claim regarding malfunctioning EVMs in Kerala, which the commission reported as false after thorough verification. 

The court emphasized the importance of maintaining the sanctity of the electoral process, ensuring that all parties involved have confidence in the fairness and accuracy of the voting system.

Image Credit: Shagil Kannur, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LSG_Body_election_in_Kerala_-2020.jpg