The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has filed a petition urging the 100% counting of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips in Indian elections. Currently, the Election Commission of India (ECI) mandates the random counting of VVPAT slips in five polling stations per Assembly constituency. ADR argues that the existing system doesn’t ensure votes are accurately counted. However, the ECI contends that counting all VVPAT slips in every election would revert to indirect manual polling methods. VVPATs are devices attached to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) that provide a paper record of a voter’s choice, introduced in 2010 and achieving 100% coverage in June 2017.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR): ADR is an organization in India that advocates for transparency, accountability, and electoral reforms to strengthen democracy.
- Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT): VVPAT is a system used alongside Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in elections, providing a paper trail for voters to verify their choices and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.
- Election Commission of India (ECI): The ECI is the constitutional body responsible for administering elections in India, ensuring fair and transparent electoral processes.
- Manual Polling Methods: Refers to traditional paper-based voting methods where ballots are manually counted, as opposed to electronic voting systems like EVMs with VVPATs.
- Supreme Court Judgment (2019): The reference is to a specific ruling by the Supreme Court of India in 2019 that influenced the decision to increase the number of polling stations where VVPAT slips are counted, moving from one to five per Assembly constituency.
