EVMs AND VVPATs (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Election Commission has begun a nationwide awareness programme on EVMs and VVPATs ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVM)

• About: EVMs facilitate candidate selection through button presses.
• Comprises two sections: Control Unit and Voting Unit connected by a 5-meter cable.
• Operation: Control unit selected by the Election Commission, assigned to a polling officer.
• Voting Unit placed in the voting area for voters to cast their ballots discreetly.
• Voting Capacity: EVMs record a maximum of 2,000 votes.
• Candidate Accommodation: M2 EVMs can accommodate up to 64 candidates, including NOTA.
• Developed by: Election Commission collaborated with two Public Sector Organizations: Bharat Electronics Ltd, Bangalore, and Electronic Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad.
• Both companies actively involved in the production of EVMs.

Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)

• About: When a vote is cast, the VVPAT machine, attached to the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), prints a slip displaying the voter's choice.
• Origins of VVPAT: The idea of the VVPAT machine emerged, leading to the EC referring the matter to its Technical Expert Committee for further exploration.
• Developed by: Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL).