How EVMs Changed The Face Of World's Largest Election Exercise In India | Explainer

In the past 20 years, technological advancements have drastically changed democracies. The use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the selection of political leaders is one area in which the applicability and impact of digital technology have been hotly contested. Technology offers enormous potential to empower citizens, magnify their voices, and enable them to hold governments responsible as compared to a pencil-and-paper approach.

The efficiency and quick turnaround time observed with EVMs become particularly crucial when they are used for larger populations. The scale of the 2019 Lok Sabha election in India bears testimony to how EVM technology addresses electoral fraud and simplifies the electoral procedure. The election witnessed a historic 67 percent voter turnout from nearly 900 million registered voters across 542 parliamentary constituencies. 

When EVMs are utilized for bigger populations, their efficiency and fast turnaround time become even more important. The size of the Lok Sabha election in 2019 is evidence of how EVM technology combats electoral fraud and streamlines the voting process.

What are Electronic Voting Machines (EVM)?

It includes a thick, rectangular voting recorder device used for electronic voting. Except for the "none of the above" option, voters must push one of the blue buttons next to the name, symbol, and serial number of the candidate of their choosing. An electronic voting machine (EVM) consists of three units: the ballot unit, the voter-verifiable-paper-audit-trail (VVPAT) unit that generates a paper slip that voters can view on a transparent screen for approximately seven seconds before it is sealed and placed in a drop box. 

The control unit allows the officer-in-charge to ensure that a voter can only vote once. The two other units are maintained in a voting compartment so that voters can make their individual selection, with the control unit situated next to the officer-in-charge. 

EVM: First Introduced In India

In 1982, EVMs were employed for the first time in India during a by-election held for the Paravur assembly seat in the southern state of Kerala. However, because there was no law requiring EVM, the Supreme Court ruled that the election was illegal. After an agreement was reached, 45 EVMs were later utilized in 1998 in Legislative Assembly constituencies throughout Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Rajasthan. Starting in 2000, it was widely used throughout the nation. 

Number Of Votes And Candidates

If there are more than 16 candidates for a given seat, one more Balloting Units can be linked in a series to the first unit. Similarly, if the number of candidates exceeds 32, a third unit can be attached. And it can go on. A single unit can accommodate up to 384 candidates by linking 24 units to the control unit. Up to 2,000 votes can be recorded using an electronic voting machine (EVM) that is powered by batteries or power packs that are provided by the government-owned company Bharat Electronics (BAJE.NS). The entire arrangement may run for approximately 15 years and costs close to 34,000 rupees.

Electoral fraud is a major worry for any democracy of this magnitude, especially one with a multi-party system. However, as electronic voting machines (EVMs) have become more widely used in India's electoral process, voters there now feel more confident that their vote actually affects democratic government and election outcomes. This year, the seven-phase election commenced on April 19 and votes will be counted on June 4. Most people anticipate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be re-elected for a third term in a row.