Election Commission of India

A State-of-the-Art, User Friendlyand Tamper Proof

Electronic Voting Machine(EVM)

PresentationThe GenesisConcept, Challenge, SolutionConcernsRemediesEVMTechnological FeaturesDescriptionOperationPolling, Closing, Counting & ResultsAdvantagesStatistics of Interest

Genesis - ConceptIdea mooted by the Chief Election Commissioner in 1977Pros and cons of E-voting vis--vis ballot paper analysed by High Power CommitteesRecommended E-voting to save avoidable and recurring expenditure on printing, storage, transportation and security of Ballot Paper to the exchequer

Top: Ballot paper awaiting despatchBottom: EVMs in store room

Genesis - ChallengeEvolve a machine which would fit into the existing Election ProcedureAppear familiar to the voterAddressing the skepticism of the Political Parties and Intelligentsia including PressEvolving a machine and a procedure which would be transparent and acceptable to all

Top: Ballot box being carried to the polling stationBottom: EVMs being carried to the polling station

Genesis - SolutionElectronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) a leading Public Sector Company engaged in the design and manufacture of professional electronics was commissioned to design a machine to prove the feasibilityOnce feasibility was established, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) a second Public Sector Company was co-opted into the exerciseVoters waiting to cast their vote

Genesis - SolutionBoth the companies (ECIL & BEL) brought out models with a common User Interface in 1980The machines were extensively tried out at locations across the countryPublicity campaigns were run in the press and other mediaSeminars conducted by Election Commission of India in various forumsFeedback obtained used to fine-tune the machine

Voting the Ballot box wayVoting the EVM way

ConcernsHow secure is the data ?Can the data be tampered with ?How does the machine operate in remote areas without electric power ?What happens if the power fails in the middle of the voting process ?Can the data be stored long enough to be used as evidence in a court of law in case of electoral disputes ?Top: EVM being demonstrated to the pressMiddle: EVM being demonstrated to VIPsBottom: Address to the press on EVMs

RemediesAll mechanical, electrical and software security features are provided to ensure the integrity of the voting data It is independent of mains power and operates on a special power packIt is tamper-proof and error freeIt incorporates a microprocessor that has burnt-in software code which cannot be altered or retrievedAll the data is recorded on non-volatile dual redundant memory chips and can be retained for over 6 months even when the power pack is removed

CountingBallot paper wayCounting - EVM way

EVM Technology FeaturesCentres around state-of-the-art microprocessor with built-in PROM storing the software code which cannot be retrieved or alteredReliable, robust and error free softwareLegacy software with machine codes used to preserve integrity and securityDouble redundant resilient memory storage for securely retaining data without a need for a backup batteryUser friendly operation sequencePortable and easy to operateCustom made to fit into the existing pattern

EVM Technology FeaturesProvision is made on all the sub-units for sealing to ensure that the units are not tampered withEach EVM can cater to a maximum of 64 candidates with 4 Ballot Units cascadedThe EVM can be used for conducting TWO simultaneous polls.EVMs to conduct up to FOUR or MORE simultaneous polls to suit the electoral systems of other countries are developed and demonstration models available

Sub-Units of EVM

Ballot Unit - Details

Ballot Unit - Internal parts

Control Unit

Control Unit - View of Bottom Compartment

Control Unit - Display Section

Control Unit - Candidate Set Section

Control Unit - Result Section

Control Unit - Ballot Section

PollingThe voter is identified from the voters list and records his presence by a signature or thumb impressionThe Presiding Officer presses the Ballot button on the Control Unit permitting one voteThe voter then proceeds to the polling cubicle and after perusing the ballot paper on the Ballot Unit, presses the key against the candidate of his choice

PollingA red lamp glows indicating to the voter that his vote has been cast in favour of that candidateThe casting of the vote results in a beep in the Control Unit indicating to the Presiding Officer that a vote has been castHe then proceeds to release another vote by pressing the Ballot button and the process continues

ClosingThe cap on the Close Button is removed and the button pressedThe cap is then replacedThe unit is then switched Off and the interconnecting cable disconnected

Counting & ResultsThe Power pack / Battery is checked for health by pressing the TOTAL Button

After getting ready to note down the result, the green paper seal over RESULT-1 Button is pierced and RESULT-1 Button is pressed.

Counting & Results

The RESULT-1 button is pressed to display the resultsThe results are then noted.

SEQUENCE OF OPERATION OF BUTTONS ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINECAND. SETCLEARBALLOTRESULT-1CLOSE

AdvantagesModernises the election process User friendly can be used even by illiterates Simple to operate and can be installed in a short timePreserves voting secrecyNo scope for invalid votesFacilitates quick and accurate counting possible to declare results instantaneouslyRe-usable by simply erasing votes recorded in earlier poll

AdvantagesHuge expenditure involved in printing, storing and transportation and security of ballot paper can be avoidedLowers operating costsEasier to manage with less demand on man-powerProvision can be made to connect to a CENTRAL STATION to consolidate and display / record the results countrywide

Statistics of InterestAround one million machines deployed during Lok Sabha, 2004 pollsLow failure rateCosts around US $ 300 Estimated saving on the switchover to EVM is Approx US $ 40 millionPolitical Parties and Intelligentsia who initially were skeptical now endorse the machine for its veracity EVM being demonstrated to voters beforethe recent elections held in the state of Jammu & Kashmir

Thank You

The ready lamp glows when the unit is switched on

The slide switch is used to set the no of the unit, ie it is set to 1 if there are only 16 candidates and 1 for the first and 2 for the second if there are 17 to 32 candidates and so on

The candidates lamp glows indicating to the voter that his/her vote is cast in favor of that candidate

After the ballot paper is placed and aligned the screen is put in place and sealed

Candidate button is the button which is pressed by the voter

Masking tab is used to mask the candidate buttons which are not in use; ie if there are only 8 candidates the remaining switches from 9 to 16 are masked and cannot be operatedOn lamp glows when the unit is powered on.

Busy Lamp glows when a ballot is released and a voter is in the process of voting. After the casting the lamp goes off with a beep thus indicating that the vote is cast

Total button may be pressed at any given time to know the total no of votes polled till then

Ballot button pressing of this button releases a vote in the ballot unit and also results in the busy lamp glowing

Power switch powers on / off the EVM

Connecter for connecting the Ballot unit with interconnecting cable

Auxiliary unit connector to connect second ballot unit in case of two simultaneous pollsCandidate set button: For setting the no of candidates in the poll. The Ballot unit and the control unit are connected and powered on. This button is pressed and the candidate button on the ballot unit corresponding to the last candidate is pressed. Close button:To close the poll at the end of the appointed period. Once this button is depressed no more votes can be cast on this machine

Result 1To view the results of poll 1

Result 2:To view the results of poll 2

Clear :Clears the data recorded in the voting machine operable only after the results are viewed at least once