29 Apr SC dismissed the plea for 100% verification of VVPAT
This article covers ‘Daily Current Affairs’ and the topic details of ”SC dismissed the plea for 100% verification of VVPAT”. This topic is relevant in the “Polity and Governance” section of the UPSC CSE exam.
Why in the News?
The Supreme Court dismissed the plea for complete verification of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) in Indian elections. It also turned down the proposal to revert to the previous ballot paper system for elections, which had been advocated by opposition parties in recent times.
More about the case and directions issued by the Court
- This ruling doesn’t change the voting process for citizens but brings about significant post-election modifications. Under the new provisions, candidates ranking second or third in the election results can now request EVM verification, enhancing transparency and accountability. This verification involves engineers from the manufacturing company examining the microcontroller program of EVMs, with candidates covering the costs, which are refundable if tampering is discovered.
- The court’s refusal to mandate 100% VVPAT slip counting was based on various factors.
- Counting all VVPAT slips would considerably extend the counting process and delay result announcements, doubling the required manpower and potentially introducing errors or manipulation.
- The court noted that the current 5% verification process hasn’t revealed any discrepancies between EVM and VVPAT records, indicating the effectiveness of the existing system. Hence, no need for 100% verification.
- In response to petitions, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to implement new measures to bolster the electoral process’s integrity. For the first time, the EC was instructed to secure and store symbol loading units (SLUs) for 45 days post-results declaration, providing a safeguard for potential election petitions. Moreover, candidates now have the right to request EVM verification, further fortifying the verification process and ensuring result accuracy.
- Additionally, the court proposed exploring the use of counting machines for tallying VVPAT slips instead of manual counting, potentially introducing a more efficient and accurate method. The discussion during the proceedings also highlighted the idea of incorporating barcodes on VVPAT slips to facilitate machine counting, underlining the court’s emphasis on leveraging technology to enhance electoral verification.
Previous judgements regarding VVPAT
Chandrababu Naidu and Others v. Union of India and Another (2019)
- In this case, the petitioners advocated for a 50% randomised verification of VVPAT slips in each General and Bye Election, as opposed to one EVM per assembly constituency or segment in a parliamentary constituency.
- The Supreme Court stressed the significance of ensuring precise electoral outcomes and proposed increasing the number of machines subjected to VVPAT verification to instil greater confidence among political parties and voters.
- The Court ordered the augmentation of the number of EVMs subjected to VVPAT verification from one to five per Assembly Constituency or Assembly Segments in a Parliamentary Constituency, thereby enhancing the verification process and upholding the integrity of election results.
Subramanian Swamy v. Election Commission of India (2013)
- In this case, the Court highlighted the necessity of a paper trail as an essential element for conducting free and fair elections. The judgement underscored the pivotal role of VVPAT in ensuring transparency and integrity in the electoral process, establishing a precedent for the adoption of VVPAT in elections.
- This case laid the groundwork for the obligatory utilization of VVPATs in elections, bolstering the credibility and reliability of the electoral system.
About working of the Symbol Loading Unit (SLU)
- The SLU serves the purpose of loading the candidates’ symbols onto the VVPAT. It is a small device, approximately the size of a matchbox, initially connected to a laptop or personal computer. A symbol-loading application is then utilized to load a bitmap file containing the candidates’ names, serial numbers, and symbols onto the SLU. Subsequently, the SLU is connected to the VVPAT to transfer the file onto the paper audit machine, all under the supervision of a district election officer.
- SLUs are employed only a few days before polling in a specific seat, during the commissioning of EVMs, and the establishment of the list/order of contesting candidates on the ballot unit and the VVPAT. Candidate-setting can occur anytime between five to two days before the voting for a seat. Once the SLU is utilized to load symbols onto the VVPAT, the EVM is prepared for use. After this process, the SLU holds no relevance to the actual voting procedure.
About VVPAT
- The Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) is a crucial component of the electoral process, designed to enhance transparency, integrity, and trustworthiness in elections. VVPAT machines provide voters with a physical paper record of their vote, allowing voters to verify that their choice has been accurately captured by the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) before casting their ballot.
- The concept of VVPAT emerged as a response to concerns about the reliability and accountability of EVMs, particularly regarding the lack of a paper trail to independently verify electronic votes. The implementation of VVPAT technology aims to address these concerns by providing voters with tangible proof of their vote, thus increasing confidence in the electoral process.
- In operation, VVPAT machines are connected to EVMs and are activated once a voter casts their vote electronically. After the voter makes their selection on the EVM, the VVPAT machine prints a paper receipt containing the name and symbol of the chosen candidate. This paper receipt is displayed behind a transparent window for the voter to verify. Once the voter confirms that the printed receipt matches their selection, it is deposited into a secure compartment within the VVPAT machine.
- The introduction of VVPAT machines has been a significant development in electoral technology, particularly in countries like India, where electronic voting is widely used. VVPAT technology adds a layer of transparency and accountability to the electoral process.
Download plutus ias current affairs eng med 29th April 2024
Prelims practise question
Q1. Consider the following statements:
- The Election Commission of India comprises five members.
- The election timetable for both general elections and bye-elections is determined by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
- The Election Commission is responsible for addressing disputes concerning the division or amalgamation of officially recognised political parties.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: A
Mains practise question
Q1. In your opinion, what innovative measures could the Election Commission implement to make the voting process more accessible and convenient for citizens?
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