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The <keyword id="19895782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission" source="keywords">Election Commission</keyword> has received eight applications from aggrieved <keyword id="19902220" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="candidates" source="keywords">candidates</keyword>, including those from the <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> and the <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword>, for verification of tampering or modification in micro-controller chips embedded in the EVMs post declaration of Lok Sabha election results on June 4. Terming the suspicion of manipulation of the electronic voting machines "unfounded", the <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court" source="keywords">Supreme Court</keyword> had on April 26 rejected the demand for reverting to the old paper ballot system. But at the same time, the top court had opened a window for the aggrieved unsuccessful candidates securing second and third places in the poll results and allowed them to seek verification of micro-controller chips embedded in five per cent EVMs per assembly constituency on a written request upon the payment of a fee to the poll panel. BJP's Ahmednagar (Maharashtra) candidate Sujay Vikhe-Patil has sought verification of the machines from 40 <keyword id="20300567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="polling-stations" source="keywords">polling stations</keyword>. Vikhe-Patil had lost to Nilesh Lanke of NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction. A YSRCP and a DMDK candidate too have applied for the verification, according to data shared by the poll panel. According to the EC, eight parliamentary seats spread across six states are involved. The total number of polling stations for which verification has been sought is 92. Candidates who come second or third and seek verification of the EVMs will have to pay Rs 47,200 per EVM set, according to the standard operating procedure issued by the EC on June 1. According to the EC's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the cost submitted by manufacturers BEL and ECIL to carry out EVM "check and verification" is Rs 40,000 (plus 18 per cent GST) per set of EVM. "In addition to the cost incurred by the manufacturers, there are also administrative costs like cost of labour to shift the units, CCTV coverage, electricity charges, videography costs and various other operational costs at the district election officer level," the document said. It, however, said to make the <keyword id="21143428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="verification-process" source="keywords">verification process</keyword> "more accessible" and inclusive in compliance to the referred mandate of the Supreme Court, it is decided that instead of going purely by the actual economic costs incurred, the administrative expenditure on <keyword id="22122362" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="EVM-verification" source="keywords">EVM verification</keyword> will be treated as "election expenditure and borne by the central or state government, as the case may be". "Accordingly, the administrative charges will be waived for the applicants -- the same shall not be charged to the applicants," it noted. The charges for EVM verification to be paid by the applicant candidate is for the current financial year 2024-25 -- till March 31, 2025, it said. An EVM set has at least one Ballot Unit, one Control Unit and a <keyword id="19975285" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vvpat" source="keywords">VVPAT</keyword> machine. Separately, YSRCP and BJD candidates from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha respectively have also applied for EVM check following the announcement of assembly results on June 4. Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh were held along with the Lok Sabha elections. In the verification exercise for assembly poll results, total assembly constituencies involved are three where verification has been sought in 26 polling stations. According to the SOP, the concerned state chief electoral officer (CEO) was required to communicate to the manufacturers the consolidated list of applicants within 30 days of the date of declaration of results -- by July 4. The CEOs have already conveyed the same to the manufacturers 15 days ahead of the schedule, the EC said. The technical SOP enumerating the methodology and steps for checking and verification of burnt memory/ micro-controller of the EVM units will be issued by the EC in due course.

EC receives applications for EVM verification on 8 LS seats in 6 states

Following the April 2017 <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/all-you-need-to-know-about-vvpat/article18077550.ece">allegations</a> of the tampering of Electronic Voting Machine (<keyword id="59035" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="evm">EVM</keyword>), around 16 political parties of the country had appealed to the Election Commission of India to bring back ballot papers in the elections. The Election Commission made a note of their grievance. However, ballot papers are considered as an archaic tool and it abounded almost illogical to resort to them once again. Hence the Commission thought of <keyword id="686046" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="VVPAT">VVPAT</keyword> or Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail as a valid way to address the raising concerns. Here is a comparison of <keyword id="4367959" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="evm-and-vvpat">EVM and VVPAT</keyword>. What are EVMs? Expanded as Electronic Voting Machines, EVMs are electronic devices used in the polling booths for letting the electors cast their votes electronically without revealing their identity. There had been a number of complaints about booth capturing. Hence the EC introduced EVMs to replace the conventional ballot system. For the first time in India, EVMs were seen in use in 1982 during the Kerala Assembly Elections. An EVM has two segments: a control unit and the balloting unit. The control unit is managed by the polling officer appointed by the Election Commission. This officer turns the EVM on by pressing the ballot button. The other segment called the balloting unit is placed in the voting compartment. The electors can cast their vote by pressing one of the buttons seen against the names and party symbols of the contesting candidates. What are VVPATs? VVPAT is not a different voting system. It is only an augmented feature of the EVMs. The Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail can give feedback to electors casting their vote. We can say it is a kind of independently working printer machine that enables the voters to check if the vote they casted had gone to the intended contester. The working of VVPATs After casting their votes in the EVM, the voter can press a button in the EVM machine and it prints a paper slip that will reveal the symbol and name of the candidate for whom they have voted. Hence the voters can verify their choice. The ballot slip thus printed will be visible to the voter for about seven seconds through a glass case in the VVPAT. After that, the ballot paper will be cut letting it fall inside the drop box accompanied by a beep sound. Only the polling officers can access the VVPAT machine. The Supreme Court Verdict In 2013, the Supreme Court ordered for the introduction of paper trails in EVMs phase by phase during the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections. The Supreme Court had said, "EVMs with VVPAT system ensure the accuracy of the voting system. With an intent to have the fullest transparency in the system and to restore the confidence of the voters, it is necessary to set up EVMs with VVPAT system because vote is nothing but an act of expression which has immense importance in democratic system." There had been a widespread call that the Election Commission introduces VVPAT machines during the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.

What Is The Difference Between EVMs And VVPAT?

The Election Commission of India introduced Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in Indian elections between 1998 and 2001. This initiative brought about a shift from the conventional system of paper ballot voting to the more sophisticated electronic voting. Following charges by the opposition parties regarding the reliability of the EVMs, the Supreme Court directed the EC to include a paper trail to help ascertain the reliable operation of the EVMs. Hence the EC introduced Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) between 2012 and 2013 that will accompany the EVMs and will enable the voters verify their votes. Voting during the upcoming Delhi assembly elections on 9 February 2020 will happen solely through EVMs accompanied by <keyword id="686046" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="VVPAT">VVPAT</keyword> verification procedure. What are the features of EVMs EVMs have ruled out the massive manual work involved in the counting of paper ballot votes which also consumed a lot of time. They also mark a move towards eco-friendly elections as the use of printed ballot slips has been completely eliminated. Some interesting features of the EVMs are given hereunder. <ul><li>EVMs come with an embedded feature to limit the vote casting rate to five per minute. </li><li>They have a security lock close feature</li><li>EVMs also store the electronic voting signatures and thumb impressions to confirm the voter’s identity. </li><li>They feature once write read-only memory and are made with secure manufacturing practices.</li><li>EVMs are battery powered and do not have any networking capability or wireless or wired internet components and interface. </li></ul>What is the use of VVPATs Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) provides feedback to the voters while a ballotless electronic voting system is deployed. VVPATs add a verification system to the EVMs by letting the voters verify if their vote was cast correctly. They provide a paper medium to store the votes in addition to the electronic system used by the EVMs. They also make it possible to arrange for a manual counting of votes if a recount is necessary in case of any arising disputes. How to cast the <keyword id="8631570" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="vote-using-evm">vote using EVM</keyword> and VVPAT <ul><li>Enter the polling booth and produce the photo voter slip and a valid ID proof.</li><li>Your name on the electoral roll will be checked and you will be asked to sign on the register.</li><li>The indelible ink mark will be applied on the nail of your left index finger.</li><li>The polling officer will press a button to enable the ballot unit when you move into the polling compartment.</li><li>Choose the name or symbol of the candidate of your choice and press the blue button against it.</li><li>You will see the red light against the name or symbol of the candidate indicating that your vote has been casted.</li><li>The VVPAT will give a print out of a ballot slip that will contain the serial number, name and symbol of the candidate for whom you have casted your vote. You can see the print out through the glass which will be visible for seven seconds. Then it will be cut and dropped inside the drop box with a beep sound. Note that the print out will not be given to you. In case you cannot see the ballot slip and if you happen to hear a loud beep sound, you can approach the presiding officer.</li></ul>

Delhi Election: How to cast the vote using EVM and VVPAT

We are in the midst of <keyword id="43763" type="EVENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="General-Elections">general elections</keyword> and if you have already voted or are about to vote, you must have had a fair idea about the <keyword id="6367487" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="electronic-voting-machines">electronic voting machines</keyword> or EVMs. The EVMs were introduced by the Election Commission of India, in alliance with Bharat Electronics (Bangalore) and Electronics Corporation of India (Hyderabad), for casting and counting votes. 
 
Business Insider India knows that you must be feeling inquisitive about how this little machine operates and consequently plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the world’s largest democracy. You need not wonder any more – here is the detailed information about the EVMs and how they work. 
 These machines were first used on an experimental basis during the 1998 general elections. A total of 16 assembly constituencies used the <keyword id="59035" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="evm">EVM</keyword>s – there were 5 each in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, and 6 in the NCT of Delhi. An EVM includes a control unit and a balloting unit, connected by a 5m cable. The presiding officer of the booth, who is generally a central government employee trained to operate these machines, is in charge of the control unit while the balloting unit is used by the voters to cast their votes. 
 
An EVM runs on a 6 volt alkaline battery. So it is possible to use them in rural booths with no electricity connections. Also, it is easier for the illiterate people to press a button rather than putting the stamp mark on or near the symbol of the chosen candidate. A maximum of 3,840 votes can be cast through one EVM. But that is not an issue as the number of voters in a polling station will not exceed 1500. 
 
If an EVM goes out of order, a spare EVM can be provided to the booth by the designated officer. However, the votes already cast by the voters are safely stored in the control unit kept with the presiding officer, thus avoiding the near-impossible task of asking the voters to vote again. 
 
One EVM can cater to 16 candidates at a time and 4 such EVMs can be placed next to each other in one polling station to cater to a maximum of 64 candidates for one constituency. In case more than 64 candidates are contesting the polls from a single constituency, traditional paper ballots and ballot boxes will have to be pressed into service. 
 
EVMs can also prevent malpractices like booth capturing to a great extent. As these machines can register only 5 votes per minute, miscreants can only cast a limited number of votes before they get caught. This is an advantage over the traditional ballot boxes where the frauds can put in a huge number of illegally marked ballot papers. 
 
With the EVMs in place, the principle of ‘one man, one vote’ is easily taken care of as the machine gets locked after one has cast his/her vote, making it impossible for the same person to vote again, as new ballot number is needed once a vote is cast. 
 
To avoid any malpractice, the presiding officer presses the ‘close’ button after the last vote. The EVMs are designed in such a way that the machines won’t accept any vote after being detached from the control unit. 
 
These EVMs are easy to operate and quite economical as they help save a lot of money we would otherwise require for paper, printing, transportation, storage and distribution. They have also cut down on the time required for counting votes. It now takes 2-3 hours to complete the counting, compared to 30-40 hours taken during the traditional procedure.

How EVMs Work

The <keyword id="40807" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission">Election Commission</keyword> on Friday ordered repoll at a polling station in Southern <keyword id="6354915" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="assam">Assam</keyword> after the electronic voting machine (EVM) was found in a <keyword id="14666" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> candidate wife's <keyword id="46210" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vehicle">vehicle</keyword> on Thursday evening. The EC said in a statement that the presiding officer and three other officials have been placed under suspension and a repoll has been ordered at the Indira M.V. School polling station under Ratabari Assembly constituency in the state. "Although the seals of the EVM were found intact, it has nevertheless been decided to do a repoll at the Indira M.V. School polling station as added precaution," the statement said. The Commission also sought a report from the Special Observer about the incident. The statement said that after the officials car carrying the <keyword id="11034879" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="polled-evm-machine">polled EVM machine</keyword> to Karimganj was broken down they boarded a passing private car which was subsequently surrounded by a mob of about 50 people that started pelting stones at them. The mob at the Kanaishil (under Karimganj district) alleged that the EVM was being taken to be tampered with. The private car was owned by the wife of BJP candidate of the neighbouring Patharkandi constituency Krishnendu Paul. The statement added that due to the heavy rains on Thursday night and the roads being muddy, the official car of the <keyword id="2235016" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="polling-personnel">polling personnel</keyword> broke down and then they boarded a private vehicle along with their polled EVM and other materials without checking the ownership of the vehicle. Immediately after receiving information about the incident, the District Election Officer of Karimganj along with the district Superintendent of Police (SP) rushed to the spot and reached there at 10.20 p.m. on Thursday night.During the course of the stone pelting, Karimganj SP Mayank Kumar sustained minor injuries on his collarbone and blank firing had to be resorted to disperse the mob. The first polling officer, who was found missing in the commotion, was rescued early on Friday morning from a nearby area. About the incident Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in a tweet said : "Every time there is an election video of private vehicles caught transporting EVMs show up... Unsurprisingly they have the following things in common: 1. The vehicles usually belong to BJP candidates or their associates. ...." Over 77 per cent of the 73,44,631 voters exercised their franchise in the second phase of polling in Assam on Thursday in the 39 constituencies. Of the three-phase elections to the 126-member <keyword id="124967" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Assam-Assembly">Assam Assembly</keyword>, the third and final phase of polling will be held in 40 seats on April 6. Nearly 80 per cent of 81,09,815 voters cast their votes on March 27 in the first phase of polling in 47 constituencies. The results will be declared on May 2. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/nasa-estimates-pandemic-could-cost-it-around-3-billion-quick-look-at-projects-to-take-the-biggest-hit/slidelist/81869940.cms">NASA estimates the pandemic ballooned costs by $3 billion — here are the projects to take the biggest hit</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/a-5-5-billion-british-fintech-start-up-may-have-200-jobs-to-offer-in-india/articleshow/81867620.cms">A $5.5 billion British fintech start up may have 200 jobs to offer in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/pune-set-for-a-partial-lockdown-as-covid19-cases-surge/articleshow/81870720.cms">From night curfew to restaurants being shut, Pune embraces a partial lockdown as COVID-19 cases surge</a>

Election Commission suspends three presiding officials and orders repoll in Southern Assam after EVM machine found in BJP candidate's wife's vehicle

<ul><li>Multiple constituencies around India are reporting of problems with their Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).</li><li>Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are among the two states with the highest instances of <keyword id="59035" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="evm">EVM</keyword> malfunctions so far.</li><li>A Jana Sena party member was also arrested for trying to destroy an <keyword id="467705" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="EVM-machine">EVM machine</keyword> in Andhra Pradesh.</li></ul>The general election has only just begun and <a href="https://twitter.com/TOIHyderabad/status/1116168496390594560">reports</a> of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malfunctions are flying in from multiple corners of the country. Butchirajupalem in Visakhapatnam and Cooch Behar in West Bengal were one of the first constituencies to halt voting because the EVM machines stopped working. One of the poll booths in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and two booths in Hyderabad, Telangana are also reported facing problems with their voting machines a while later. But most of the EVM malfunctions are being reported in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. In Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) are reporting EVM malfunctions. YSRCP is reporting that as many as 99 of the polling booths aren’t working. Tensions between both political parties have <a href="http://resulted">resulted</a> in violent clashes and ransacking of poll booths. According to the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, its a <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1116216514917617670?s=19" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">discouraging signal</a> for voters who may not necessarily return once an EVM has been replaced or repaired. And if it wasn’t enough that EVMs are breaking down on their own, a Jana Sena party member was <a href="https://www.abplive.in/election/jana-sena-candidate-arrested-for-damaging-evm-962424">arrested</a> from trying to destroy one of the voting machines in the Guntakal Assembly constituency of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh. <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1116346109494996992?s=19">According</a> to the election commission there have been six incidents in Andhra Pradesh, five in Arunachal Pradesh, one in Bihar, two in Manipur and one in West Bengal. The issue of EVMs EVMs have faced their fair share of controversy in India. There has been many a claim that the machines are vulnerable to being hacked and have security issues. It’s one of the reasons that Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) was brought into the picture. It allows voters to verify that their vote was registered correctly. 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="26b8624d4b3c341ade960017541b32eb" msid="68825834" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Confidence in EVMS as a voting mechanism has been waning&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>











 Even the Supreme Court, in trying to increase confidence in the electoral process has asked the for random auditing of poll booths to increase from one to five. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/general-elections-2019-vvpat-how-to-verify-vote/articleshow/68475130.cms">Here's how voters can verify their ballots during the world's largest democratic exercise</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-supreme-court-order-on-vvpat-adds-pressure-on-election-commission/articleshow/68776872.cms">India's Supreme Court orders five-fold increase in vote audits putting Election Commission under pressure to prepare</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/lok-sabha-elections-2019-what-is-the-difference-between-evms-and-vvpat/articleshow/68480192.cms">What Is The Difference Between EVMs And VVPAT?</a>

The first day of voting in India is dotted with glitches in the electronic voting machines

AMETHI: <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> <keyword id="19496" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="leader">leader</keyword> <keyword id="5268" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> was present on polling day in Amethi for the first time in 10 years and he seems to have violated the law by entering the voting compartment, the closeted area where the EVM machine is kept, during polling hours in at least three booths. These are Ashtabhuja Vidyalaya in Sahamau, Prathamik Vidyalaya Koora and Madhyamik Vidyalaya Phoola, all of them in the Tiloi assembly segment, between 9.15am and 10.24am. 
 
TOI photographer V Sunil captured him peering over the EVM machines at two places during polling hours and emerging from the EVM enclosure at another. A senior Election Commission official told TOI in Delhi that during polling, only three people can access the voting compartment: the voter, presiding officer and polling officer. 
 
In case a candidate gains access to the polling station, the presiding officer will be held responsible, said the official. The candidate can be acted against only if he enters the polling compartment while a voter is in the process of voting, and the offence here is violation of secrecy of voting, as provided in the Representation of the People Act, 1951. 
 Rahul Gandhi was seen entering the polling area by others too. The <keyword id="6354944" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Aam-Aadmi-Party">Aam Aadmi Party</keyword> complained on Wednesday about the violation of election rules by Rahul Gandhi. The party <keyword id="6354904" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="tweet">tweet</keyword>ed several pictures of Rahul in polling booths. A picture showing him looking at an EVM was accompanied with a tweet that asked, “Is the candidate allowed to go to the polling machine?” 
 
 
 
(These TOI photographs show (left) Rahul Gandhi inspecting an EVM machine at Amethi's Madhyamik Vidyalaya Phoola in Tiloi assembly segment at 10.24am and (right) emerging after inspecting an EVM machine at Ashtabhuja Vidyalaya in Sahamau at 9.20am, both within polling hours) 
 
Rahul reached a polling booth in Bhoaiya Kesariya Gram Sabha in Bhadarpur Block of Amethi at 8.15am with his aide Kaushal Vidyarthi and talked to a voter. At 9.20am he was seen emerging from the enclosed area after inspecting an EVM machine at Ashtabhuja Vidyalaya in Sahamau. At 10.24am he inspected an EVM machine at polling booth number 137-Amethi at the Madhyamik Vidyalaya Phoola in Tiloi assembly segment. 
 The <keyword id="970939" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="EC-official">EC official</keyword> in Delhi said that a candidate can enter the polling booth during polling hours and interact with the voters, but cannot canvass for votes during such an interaction. Prior to polling, a mock-poll is held at the polling station. A candidate or his agent can enter the voting compartment at this stage to check if the EVM is functioning properly. 
 
Clearly, Rahul Gandhi was not present during the mock-poll hours – between 5am and 7am – as he reached the Furstaganj air strip at 7.30am. While the presiding officer would have to explain Rahul’s presence at the EVM enclosure during polling hours, the penalty against the candidate for violating the law is not clear. 
 
(With inputs from Bharti Jain in Delhi)

Rahul Was In EVM Enclosure During Voting Hours In Amethi

The Election Commission today assured that polled electronic voting machines (EVM) are ‘absolutely safe in strongrooms’-- reacting to videos on media and social media which show EVMs being transported in private vehicles. “The visuals seen viral on media do not pertain to any EVMs used during the polls,” said EC in a press statement. These series of videos show these machines being tampered in Bihar, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh (UP). Opposition Unites Leaders of several parties like Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) complained to the EC on these alleged movement of electronic voting machines (EVMs) to replace the polled machines in strongrooms. Chandrababu Naidu who is already doing the rounds and gathering steam against Bharatiya Janata Party, is one of the leaders along with Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury who is mobilizing parties to meet EC. “The EC is yet to come out with a procedure in case there is a mismatch between the VVPAT and the EVM tally. We want that even for a single mismatch in the VVPAT samples picked for counting and EVMs, all VVPATs in that assembly segment must be counted. This is important to maintain integrity of the electoral process,” Yechury said, according to a <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/lok-sabha-elections/oppn-parties-may-meet-ec-to-demand-evm-tracking/story-e6PJ9EOGW99ZuX7GGcvuRM.html">HT report</a>. EC however has been assuring that its procedures are in place. “The aspersions in clips being used in media merely pertain to the storage or movement of Reserve unused EVMs. However, any case of lapse even in handling of reserve EVMs is thoroughly investigated and disciplinary action taken against the officers responsible,” EC assured in a statement. Exit Poll Effect These allegations which came a day after exit polls, and mostly by opposition parties, could cast a shadow of doubt on Lok Sabha election results, which are to be announced on May 23. A poll of polls predicts a comfortable win for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by PM Narendra Modi. An aggregation of the various exit polls says that NDA would win more than 300 seats in the current Lok Sabha Election, leaving no option for many opposition parties to come together and form a front, in case of a fractured mandate. Former President of India Pranab Mukherjee, who had been a career Congress politician and Finance Minister for many years, was one of the many people who<a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/elections-2019-pranab-mukherjee-says-concerned-at-reports-of-alleged-tampering-of-voters-verdict-ami-2040695"> </a>expressed concern over alleged ‘tampering of voters’ verdict’. <a href="https://twitter.com/CitiznMukherjee/status/1130767638508949504">https://twitter.com/CitiznMukherjee/status/1130767638508949504</a> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-households-face-a-double-whammy-with-price-hikes-in-milk-and-fuel/articleshow/69424415.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Indian households face a double whammy with price hikes in milk and fuel</a>

Conspiracy theories hound electronic voting machines two days before India’s election results

<ul><li>The verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) will be making its national debut at the upcoming general elections in India.</li><li>The VVPAT system was introduced after the Delhi High Court ruled in 2012 that electronic voting machines (EVMs) are not completely tamper-proof.</li><li>The EVMs have also been upgraded for the 2019 general elections to the 'M3' third generation models.</li></ul>While electronic voting machines (EVMs) were introduced to the Indian electoral process in 1989, the verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) will make its debut during the general elections this year. The idea is simple — in order to improve upon the transparency during the voting process, using the VVPAT will allow users to verify that their vote was cast as intended. The new method of vote verification was brought into play after the Delhi High Court <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/EVMs-not-tamper-proof-but-no-paper-trail-Delhi-HC/articleshow/11522072.cms?referral=PM">ruled</a> in 2012 that EVMs are not "tamper-proof." And, even though the court did not direct the Election Commission (EC) to incorporate a paper trail to record the votes, it did suggest that some mechanism should be put in place in order to put doubts to rest. And then in 2013, came the Supreme Court <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/New-EVMs-to-have-paper-trail/articleshow/11561762.cms?referral=PM">verdict</a> that the EC should employ the VVPAT system so that there would be a way to audit the electronic results. How does VVPAT work? Before casting their ballot, voters should <a href="https://eci.gov.in/files/file/9230-manual-on-electronic-voting-machine-and-vvpat/">check</a> the LED power light on the EVM is green. That means the machine is not busy and ready to record the vote. It's once you've cast your vote, there should a 'beep' to confirm that the vote has been recorded by the machine. The VVPAT will then provide visual verification by printing the serial number, name and party symbol of the candidate that was voted for along with the serial number of the VVPAT unit and the poll session number on a receipt. The display window where the information will appear is sealed, so voters can't physically touch the receipt. And normally, when the machine is not in use, the items behind the window aren't visible and the window appears black. So, it's only when a vote is cast on the EVM, that the light within the viewing window comes on, but only for seven seconds. In that time frame, voters will have to verify that the details are correct before the slip gets cut and falls into the a seal drop box within the VVPAT. According to the EC, the VVPAT can only be attached to the EVM — in fact, it only has the one port — in order to register votes. Since the print runs on a battery pack, like the EVM, it's not dependent on electricity to operate. 
 
 
 <div type="Youtube" id="ZJReQ8ao0SU" title="Know Your EVM" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZJReQ8ao0SU/mqdefault.jpg"></div>







 Even the EVMs are being upgraded to a third generation 'M3' machines, which are said to be tamper proof and have a self-diagnostic system to authenticate whether a machine is genuine or not, according to the EC. "Each EVM can record a button being pressed only after every 12 seconds. If buttons are pressed more often, the EVM will not record any vote. In any 'booth capture' situation, it would take nearly three and a half hours to press the buttons 1,000 times (the typical number of votes for any EVM) and even that assumes the buttons would be pressed rapidly, every 12 seconds exactly. EVMs are simply not a feasible or efficient way to carry out electoral fraud," veteran psephologists Prannoy Roy and Dorab Sopariwala wrote in their book 'The Verdict', released on March 15. Mock polls are conducted to ensure that the machines are in optimal working condition and the machines are alloted to the polling booths through an elaborate randomization process so that nobody knows which machine will be at which polling booth until the very last moment. The introduction of the VVPAT system should, ideally, serve as a reassurance for those who fear EVM tampering by political parties. Even though the EC maintains that the EVMs can't be "<a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/electronic-voting-machine-tampering-accusations-in-up-local-body-polls-1779349">tinkered</a>" with in any way, there were allegations during the Uttar Pradesh bypolls in May 2018 where voters and some candidates claimed that no matter which button was pressed on the machine, the EVM registered the vote in favour of the BJP. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/jlf-gandhi-vs-modi-bjp-vs-congress-dont-understand-indian-voters/articleshow/67685811.cms">Presidential ego or a dynast's charm — what Indian voters like is still a mystery to the country's politicians</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/general-election-2019-facebook-war-room-in-india/articleshow/68371097.cms">The Indian election might be Facebook's last chance to prove that it can fight fake news and political bias</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/general-elections-2019-model-code-of-conduct-for-political-parties-and-candidates-in-india/articleshow/68358245.cms">India issues 'model code of conduct' for political parties and candidates</a>

Here's how voters can verify their ballots during the world's largest democratic exercise

Citing the Conduct of <keyword id="19895095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="election" source="keywords">Election</keyword> Rules, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Monday said the <keyword id="21922459" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="count" source="keywords">count</keyword> of <keyword id="20105752" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="postal-ballots" source="keywords">postal ballots</keyword> will start first across all counting centres and asserted that there was "no doubt about it". Responding to questions at a press conference here, he said after half-an-hour of the start of the postal ballot count, the counting of votes recorded in the electronic voting machines will commence. A delegation of the opposition parties had on Sunday met the Commission to demand that postal ballot count should start first and the results of postal ballots should be announced first. "Rules clearly state (Rule 54A) that postal ballot count will start first. On all centres in the country it will start first, no doubt about it. After half-an-hour we start the <keyword id="20041623" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EVM" source="keywords">EVM</keyword> count. So, there are three countings which are happening simultaneously - it happened in the 2019 elections, it happened in all the assembly polls held thereafter. It happened yesterday also in case of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim assembly (vote count). We can't change anything mid course. Why can't we change, because it is compliant with the rules," he said. He said the postal ballot count and then the EVM count and finally the marching of VVPT slips with EVM results will continue. In majority of the booths, the number of postal ballot is less. It will automatically end first, he pointed out. Since 2019, VVPAT (paper-trail machine) slips from five randomly selected polling stations per assembly constituency (or segment in cases of <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> seats) are matched with the EVM count for greater transparency.

Count of postal ballots will commence first: CEC

<ul><li>The cyber expert claims his team knew the electronic voting machines were tampered with </li><li>EC calls the claims a “motivated slugfest,” adding that it stands by the integrity of the voting machines </li><li>The Election Commission is reportedly also considering legal action against the cyber expert</li></ul>The <keyword id="65281" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission-of-India">Election Commission of India</keyword> has strongly refuted claims made by a US cyber expert, Syed Suja, that the country’s last elections were rigged, calling it a “motivated slugfest.” It has said it stands by the “foolproof nature” of its EVMs. "It needs to be reiterated that these EVMs are manufactured in Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) under very strict supervisory and security conditions and there are rigorous standard operating procedures (SOPs) meticulously observed at all stages under the supervision of a committee eminent technical experts constituted way back 2010," EC said in a statement. On Monday, Suja alleged during an event held in London, that he knew that a private company was used to generate low frequency signals to hack the electronic voting machines used in the last elections, claiming he had helped design the voting machines. He further claimed that his team was able to intercept the transmissions in the recent assembly polls in India, as well as state elections in Delhi. It is unclear if Suja was a regular employee of ECIL as that claim is still unverified. The Election Commission is reportedly also <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/election-commission-evm-hacking-2014-elections-5549033/">considering</a> legal action against the expert, the Indian Express reported. The expert has said he has had to take political asylum in the US because of threats against his team. Claims of <keyword id="4411691" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="evm-hacking">EVM hacking</keyword> have been made before, but by opposition parties following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s landslide win in the 2014 elections. In 2017, members of the Aam Aadmi Party held a “demonstration” to show how the machines could be hacked, a claim also rejected by the election commission at the time. “The so-called demonstration of tampering of ‘look alike’ EVM cannot be exploited to influence intelligent citizens and electorate to assail or vilify the EVMs used by the commission in its electoral process,” EC <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ec-rubbishes-aap-s-claims-of-evm-hacking/story-oZ6QYtfjFLOabGEfKGusEO.html">said</a> at the time. With IANs inputs See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-evms-hacked-news-congress-attacks-narendra-modi-and-bjp/articleshow/67629226.cms">India's elections are rigged, claims an American 'expert'</a>

Election Commission of India refutes claims made by a 'cyber expert' that the 2014 elections were rigged

The Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), one of the two state-owned companies that make electronic voting machines (EVMs), on Tuesday said Syed Shuja, who has claimed that the 2014 Lok Sabha polls were rigged by manipulating EVMs, has never been its employee nor associated with the EVM designing team between 2009 and 2014. The Election Commission (EC) has already lodged a police complaint against Shuja under Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertaining to "public mischief". "The records of this company have been verified and it is found that Syed Shuja has neither been in the rolls of ECIL as a regular employee nor was he in any way associated in the design and development of EVMs in ECIL produced between 2009 to 2014," ECIL Chairman and MD Sanjay Chaubey informed the EC in a letter on Tuesday. The Election Commission has lodged a complaint with the police against Shuja. In a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, the EC has said that Shuja's claims made through video conferencing in London violated the IPC, particularly Section 505, which deals with "public mischief". "Through media reports, it has come to the notice of the Commission that one Syed Shuja, on January 21 in London, claimed that he was part of the EVM design team and he can hack the EVM used in elections in India. The act of Shuja is violative of IPC, particularly Section 505(1)(b)," the letter read. "Accordingly, you are requested to lodge an FIR and investigate the matter promptly for violation of aforesaid Section of IPC and other related provisions of any law," it said. Section 505(1)(b) reads: "Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public... whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against the public tranquillity." In a sensational claim, US-based Shuja on Monday said the 2014 Lok Sabha elections were "rigged" and even claimed that <keyword id="58687" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP) leader <keyword id="43897" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gopinath-Munde">Gopinath Munde</keyword> was killed as he knew about the "hacking" of EVMs. Shuja, who claims to be part of the team that designed the EVMs used in India, alleged that the Congress lost 210 seats in the 2014 general election "due to tampering". He further alleged that his team members met "a BJP leader in 2014 who knew about this" and "they were killed in an attack". He claimed that "if his people had not intercepted the BJP's attempts to hack the transmissions during this year's assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, they would have won those states as well". He claimed to have stopped the transmission during the Delhi Assembly elections in 2015 and the <keyword id="6354944" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="aam-aadmi-party">Aam Aadmi Party</keyword> (AAP) emerged the winner. "In Delhi Assembly elections, transmission initiated by the BJP IT was intercepted. We changed the frequency." Shuja claimed he too was attacked a few days ago. He claimed that a private company had helped the BJP to get low frequency signals to hack the EVMs.

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