VOTER VERIFIABLE PAPER AUDIT TRAIL (VVPAT) MACHINE - POLITY

News: ECI failed to provide substantive response to 'genuine concerns' over EVMs: Jairam Ramesh

 

What's in the news?

       The Opposition alliance has been demanding 100% matching of the voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips and EVMs and said the VVPAT slips should be handed over to voters, who could drop it in a separate box.

 

VVPAT:

       Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail is an independent system consisting of two parts, namely, VVPAT Printer and VVPAT Status Display Unit (VSDU) attached with the Electronic Voting Machines that allows the voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended.

 

Key takeaways:

       VVPATs with EVMs were used for the first time in a bye-election from Noksen (ST) assembly constituency of Nagaland in 2013.

       VVPAT-fitted EVMs were used in entire Goa assembly elections of 2017 which was also the first time that VVPAT with EVM was used in the entire state.

       VVPAT was used in the general election of 2019 in all the 543 constituencies for the first time.

       VVPAT runs on a power pack (Battery) of 15 volts.

 

Rules:

       The use of VVPATs falls under Rule 49A of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, which provides that every EVM shall have a control unit and a balloting unit.

 

Slip consists of:

When a vote is cast, a slip is printed containing the

       Serial number

       Name of the candidate

       Symbol of the candidate

 

Features:

       It remains exposed through a transparent window for 7 seconds.

       Thereafter, this printed slip gets automatically cut and falls in the sealed drop box of the VVPAT.