VVPAT | UPSC

VVPAT mind map
Recent News
January 2024
EC dismisses concerns
By Jairam Ramesh
Assertions
Full faith in EVMs
BJP in Power
Till EVMs in current form used
Counting VVPAT Slips
INDIA Bloc demands
When
First Introduced
2014 general elections
Why
Voter verification
Ensures vote accuracy
What
Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail
Function
Prints slip with vote details
Duration
Slip visible for 7 seconds
Slip Storage
In sealed compartment
Use Cases
Corroborate EVM results
In special cases like vote fraud
Where
Used across India
Manufactured by
ECIL, BEL
Who
Involved Parties
Election Commission of India
Supreme Court
Directed increased VVPAT verification
How
Verification Protocol
Initially
One polling station per constituency
After 2019
Five polling stations per constituency
ISI Recommendation
Count slips from 479 EVMs
Significance
Ensures electoral integrity
Enhances voter confidence
Challenges
EC's Concerns
100% verification time-consuming
Prone to human error
Political Debate
Electoral integrity concerns
Way Forward
Balancing efficiency and voter confidence

Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) is a system used in Indian elections to enhance the transparency and reliability of the voting process. Introduced in 2014, VVPAT machines print a slip with the voter’s choice, allowing them to verify their vote before the slip is securely stored. This mechanism serves to corroborate results from Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), especially in cases of alleged vote fraud. Recently, there have been discussions and proposals for changes in VVPAT use, including a proposal for 100% counting of slips to enhance trust in elections. While the Election Commission of India maintains faith in the current protocol, which involves verifying VVPAT slips from five polling stations per constituency, there is an ongoing debate about electoral integrity and the challenges of balancing efficiency with voter confidence.