EC tests 74% EVMs, VVPATs for Guj
The new EVMs have features like self-diagnosis of error, battery life prediction display in percentage, etc
Even as the controversy over the efficacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) refuses to die down, the state Election Commission has announced that the first round of testing of EVMs and Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT ) in Gujarat is over. Third-generation EVMs and VVPATs will be used for the elections and, as per officials, so far 74 per cent of all the devices to be used in Gujarat have been tested.
Over 50,000 new VVPAT and over 67,000 newEVM machines will be introduced this election. The machines have been developed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). Chief Electoral Officer S Murli Krishna said, “As part of the protocol and procedure we follow before elections, testing of about 74 per cent is over.”
Features of next-gen devices
According to sources, the supposedly tamper-proof machines will have new features like self-diagnosis of error, battery life prediction display in percentage, digital certification of mutual machines and authentication. Unlike the previous lot of machines, they will also not have any issues of compatibility with other devices.
Also if the paired device is changed, the system will not work and complete authentication will be required again. Recently, former Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishnamurthy had opined that the EVMs are credible even without VVPATs. He also said the debate on the efficacy of EVMs would not die down, as their critics would look for some other reason to criticise these machines.
The controversy
Many opposition parties have questioned authenticity of the EVM, demanding return of ballot boxes. They have claimed that the machines can be manipulated and are also vulnerable to malfunction, allegations that have been rubbished by the BJP. Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora ruled out the possibility of going back to the ballot boxes, saying that they were constantly trying to upgrade EVMs to make them foolproof.
He had said the EVMs were manufactured by “highly-secured” companies, which have been engaged in defence equipment manufacturing too, and supervised by a technical expert panel. He had added that the VVPAT, which have been successfully used in the recent state elections, would now be used across the country in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Gujarat has 26 Lok Sabha seats. In the 2014 LS elections, there were more than 3.63 crore registered voters, of which a total of 1,74,72,323 had voted.
Over 50,000 new VVPAT and over 67,000 new
Features of next-gen devices
According to sources, the supposedly tamper-proof machines will have new features like self-diagnosis of error, battery life prediction display in percentage, digital certification of mutual machines and authentication. Unlike the previous lot of machines, they will also not have any issues of compatibility with other devices.
Also if the paired device is changed, the system will not work and complete authentication will be required again. Recently, former Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishnamurthy had opined that the EVMs are credible even without VVPATs. He also said the debate on the efficacy of EVMs would not die down, as their critics would look for some other reason to criticise these machines.
The controversy
Many opposition parties have questioned authenticity of the EVM, demanding return of ballot boxes. They have claimed that the machines can be manipulated and are also vulnerable to malfunction, allegations that have been rubbished by the BJP. Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora ruled out the possibility of going back to the ballot boxes, saying that they were constantly trying to upgrade EVMs to make them foolproof.
He had said the EVMs were manufactured by “highly-secured” companies, which have been engaged in defence equipment manufacturing too, and supervised by a technical expert panel. He had added that the VVPAT, which have been successfully used in the recent state elections, would now be used across the country in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Gujarat has 26 Lok Sabha seats. In the 2014 LS elections, there were more than 3.63 crore registered voters, of which a total of 1,74,72,323 had voted.
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