EVMs Cleared in Maharashtra Polls: Election Commission Confirms Tamper-Proof Status

Verification Tests Affirm Accuracy of Voting Machines Used in State Elections

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units employed in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections have successfully passed diagnostic tests. The Election Commission announced today that checks requested by losing candidates found no discrepancies between EVM tallies and VVPAT slip counts.

Rigorous Verification Process Yields Clean Chit for EVMs

The Election Commission shared that the verification and checking (C&V) exercise, conducted across 10 assembly constituencies, has reaffirmed that EVMs are indeed “tamper proof.” This confirmation comes after eight applications were submitted seeking verification of the burnt memory or micro-controller of the machines.

The constituencies where C&V was performed include Kopri-Pachpakhadi, Thane, Panel, Alibag, Khadakwasla, Arni, Yevla, Chandgad, Kolhapur North, and Majalgaon. The process involved 48 EVM ballot units, 31 EVM control units, and 31 VVPATs, all examined in the presence of the applicants or their representatives. Two candidates opted out of attending the verification.

Diagnostic Tests Confirm Machine Integrity

Diagnostic tests were carried out on EVMs in Kopri-Pachpakhadi, Thane, Khadakwasla, and Majalgaon. Authorized engineers from the manufacturer, ECIL, certified that all tested machines passed these diagnostics. Subsequent tests, including mock polls in Panel, Alibag, Arni, Yevla, Chandgad, Kolhapur North, and remaining units from Majalgaon, also confirmed the integrity of the machines, with no mismatches found when EVM results were compared to VVPAT slip counts.

Context of Allegations and Election Integrity

These verification results emerge in the wake of past allegations by the Congress party following their defeat in the previous state assembly polls. The party had raised concerns regarding alleged arbitrary changes to the electoral roll and a reported increase in voter turnout late in the day, suggesting these factors may have influenced the election outcome.

According to a 2023 report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), over 99% of the 1,486 elected representatives in India’s state assemblies are crorepatis, highlighting the significant financial stakes often involved in elections. The integrity of the voting process, therefore, remains a crucial element in public trust.