Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)

Subject- Polity

07/05/2025

216 2 minutes read

When a vote is cast, the VVPAT system, which is attached to the Ballot Unit (BU) of the EVM, prints out a slip of paper with the voter’s preference indicated on it.
Though it remains at the back of glass, the printed slip is seen for seven seconds so the voter can see that the vote has been recorded correctly, before it falls right into a box underneath.
The idea of the VVPAT machine first emerged in 2010, when the EC held a meeting with political parties to talk about the EVM and ways to make the polling process more obvious.
The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 had been amended in 2013 to allow for a printer with a drop box to be attached to the EVM.
The VVPAT was used for the first time in the Noksen Assembly constituency of Nagaland in 2013, after which the EC decided to introduce VVPATs in a phased way.
In 2017 assembly elections VVPT – equipped EVMs were used in the Goa state which was the first time in the whole state.

The EC asked the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in 2018 to give you a “mathematically sound, statistically sturdy and nearly cogent sample period for the internal audit of the VVPAT slips with electronic result of EVMs.
In 2018, the EC mandated the counting of VVPAT slips of 1 randomly decided polling station in step with the Assembly constituency.
This was accelerated to 5 polling stations in keeping with the Assembly seat, following a Supreme Court judgment in 2019.

While the Election Commission’s (EC) polling organisation remains largely unchanged, the Supreme Court has directed the EC to undertake new approaches after elections.
A widespread directive mandates the sealing and garage of Symbol Loading Units (SLUs) for 45 days after result declaration.
SLUs, which load election symbols onto VVPAT machines, will be handled in addition to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), problem to inspection and dealing with protocols.
Candidates who come second or third in an election can now request verification of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), a singular provision.
This verification includes examining burnt memory semicontrollers in 5% of EVMs consistent with the Assembly segment of every Parliamentary constituency.
Verification requests should be submitted in seven days of result assertion and will incur charges borne by way of the applicants, refundable if tampering is confirmed.
Candidates or their representatives can pick out specific EVMs using polling stations or serial numbers.
The verification request should be made in writing in the stipulated seven-day window.
Candidates are answerable for the verification charges, reimbursed if tampering is detected.

Limited Impact on Election Integrity: Some critics argue that the VVPAT machine might not substantially enhance the integrity of elections in India.
- They contend that the paper path serves mainly as a backup mechanism in place of a foolproof answer to address worries about digital voting gadget tampering or fraud.
Technical Glitches: Despite efforts to ensure the reliability of VVPAT machines, times of technical glitches and malfunctions had been reported during elections in India.
- These problems can disrupt the vote casting procedure, put off consequences, and lift doubts about the accuracy of the electoral outcome.
Logistical Challenges: India is one of the most important democracies in the world, with big voters unfolding throughout several geographic regions.
- Managing the logistics of deploying VVPAT machines to each polling station, ensuring their right functioning, poses big challenges.