1. Election Commission of India A State-of-the-Art, User Friendly and Tamper Proof Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)

2. Presentation The Genesis Concerns Remedies EVM Advantages
Concept, Challenge, Solution
Concerns
Remedies
EVM
Technological Features
Description
Operation
Polling, Closing, Counting & Results
Advantages
Statistics of Interest

3. Genesis - Concept
Idea mooted by the Chief Election Commissioner in 1977
Pros and cons of E-voting vis-à-vis ballot paper analysed by High Power Committees
Recommended E-voting to save avoidable and recurring expenditure on printing, storage, transportation and security of Ballot Paper to the exchequer
Top: Ballot paper awaiting despatch
Bottom: EVMs in store room

4. Genesis - Challenge
Evolve a machine which would fit into the existing Election Procedure
Appear familiar to the voter
Addressing the skepticism of the Political Parties and Intelligentsia including Press
Evolving a machine and a procedure which would be transparent and acceptable to all
Top: Ballot box being carried to the polling station
Bottom: EVMs being carried to the polling station

5. Genesis - Solution
Electronics 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 feasibility
Once feasibility was established, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) a second Public Sector Company was co-opted into the exercise
Voters waiting to cast their vote

6. Genesis - Solution
Voting the Ballot box way
Both the companies (ECIL & BEL) brought out models with a common User Interface in 1980
The machines were extensively tried out at locations across the country
Publicity campaigns were run in the press and other media
Seminars conducted by Election Commission of India in various forums
Feedback obtained used to fine-tune the machine
Voting the EVM way

7. Concerns How 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 press
Middle: EVM being demonstrated to VIPs
Bottom: Address to the press on EVMs

8. Remedies
All 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 pack
It is tamper-proof and error free
It incorporates a microprocessor that has ‘burnt-in’ software code which cannot be altered or retrieved
All 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
Counting
Ballot paper way
Counting - EVM way

9. EVM – Technology Features
Centres around state-of-the-art microprocessor with built-in PROM storing the software code which cannot be retrieved or altered
Reliable, robust and error free software
Legacy software with machine codes used to preserve integrity and security
Double redundant resilient memory storage for securely retaining data without a need for a backup battery
User friendly operation sequence
Portable and easy to operate
Custom made to fit into the existing pattern

10. EVM – Technology Features
Provision is made on all the sub-units for sealing to ensure that the units are not tampered with
Each EVM can cater to a maximum of 64 candidates with 4 Ballot Units cascaded
The 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

11. Interconnecting Cable
Sub-Units of EVM
Interconnecting Cable
Control Unit
Ballot Unit

12. Ballot Unit - Details Ready Lamp Slide Switch Window
Candidate’s Button
Candidate’s Lamp
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 candidate’s 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
Ballot Paper Screen

13. Ballot Unit - Internal parts
Ready Lamp
Slide Switch
Candidate’s Button
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 operated
Masking Tab

14. Control Unit ON Lamp Busy Lamp Display Section Candidate Set Section
Result Section
Ballot Section
On 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
Ballot Button
Total Button

15. Control Unit - View of Bottom Compartment
Power Switch
Connector for
Auxiliary Unit
Connector for
Interconnecting Cable
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 polls
Bottom Compartment
Cover

16. Control Unit - Display Section
4-Digit
Display Panel
ON Lamp
Busy Lamp
2-Digit
Display Panel

17. Control Unit - Candidate Set Section
inner door
Candidate set section
outer door
Provision for
thread seal
Power pack
compartment
Provision for
Thread seal
Latch
Candidate set
button
Plug for
power pack
Candidate 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.

18. Control Unit - Result Section
Result I
button
Clear button
Frames for
Paper seal
Close
button
Inner
latches
Result II
button
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 1 To 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

19. Control Unit - Ballot Section
Total button
Ballot button

20. Polling
The voter is identified from the voters list and records his presence by a signature or thumb impression
The Presiding Officer presses the “Ballot” button on the Control Unit permitting one vote
The 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

21. Polling
A red lamp glows indicating to the voter that his vote has been cast in favour of that candidate
The casting of the vote results in a beep in the Control Unit indicating to the Presiding Officer that a vote has been cast
He then proceeds to release another vote by pressing the “Ballot” button and the process continues

22. Closing
The cap on the “Close Button” is removed and the button pressed
The cap is then replaced
The unit is then switched “Off” and the interconnecting cable disconnected

23. Counting & Results
The 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.

24. Counting & Results
The “RESULT-1” button is pressed to display the results
The results are then noted.

25. SEQUENCE OF OPERATION OF BUTTONS ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINE
CLEAR
RESULT-1
CAND. SET
CLOSE
BALLOT

26. Advantages Modernises the election process
User friendly – can be used even by illiterates
Simple to operate and can be installed in a short time
Preserves voting secrecy
No scope for invalid votes
Facilitates quick and accurate counting – possible to declare results instantaneously
Re-usable by simply erasing votes recorded in earlier poll

27. Advantages
Huge expenditure involved in printing, storing and transportation and security of ballot paper can be avoided
Lowers operating costs
Easier to manage with less demand on man-power
Provision can be made to connect to a “CENTRAL STATION” to consolidate and display / record the results countrywide

28. Statistics of Interest
Around one million machines deployed during Lok Sabha, 2004 polls
Low failure rate
Costs around US $ 300
Estimated saving on the switchover to EVM is Approx US $ 40 million
Political Parties and Intelligentsia who initially were skeptical now endorse the machine for its veracity
EVM being demonstrated to voters before
the recent elections held in the state of
Jammu & Kashmir

29. Thank You