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Electronic Voting in India: Frequently Asked Questions Pradeep Sharma Global Practice Meeting on Electoral Systems and Processes, Manila November 15-18, 2004 United Nations Development Programme Presentation Overview 1. Elections in India -basic facts 2. Electronic Voting Machine -FAQs 3. Impact and Lessons Elections in India: Basic Facts • Total population: 1 billion+ • Registered voters (total electorate): 671.5 million • Voters who voted in last elections in May: 380 million • Parliamentary seats: 543 • Number of EVMs used: 1 million (including reserve) • World’s largest e-voting • Number of polling booths: 687,402 • Average number of candidates: 8.7 • Total number of candidates: 4648 • Total expenditure: $ 286 million Sbabab Thank you Thank you Electronic Voting Machines: FAQs • What is an EVM? How is it different from the conventional system of voting? • When was the EVM first introduced in elections? • Can EVM be used in areas where there is no electricity? • What is the maximum number of votes that can be cast in EVMs? • What is the maximum number of candidates EVMs can cater to? • What if the number of candidates in a constituency exceeds this number? Electronic Voting Machines: FAQs • What if an EVM in a polling station goes out of order? • Who has devised the EVMs? • What is the cost of EVMs? Is it not too expensive? • Will it not cause problems for the illiterate voters? • Can booth-capturing be prevented by the use of EVMs? • Is it possible to use EVMs if there are simultaneous elections for Parliament and State legislation Assembly? • What are the advantages of using EVMs? • Does the use of EVMs slow down the pace of polling? Electronic Voting Machines: FAQs • Can EVMs be used for mixing the “ballot papers”? • How long can the Control Unit store results in its memory? • What if an election petition is filed and recounting ordered by a court of law? • Is it possible to vote more than once by pressing the button again and again? • How can a voter be sure that EVM is working and her vote is recorded? • Is it true that due to short-circuit voter can get an electric shock? Electronic Voting Machines: FAQs • Can the EVMs be re-programmed to favour a particular candidate? • Is it not difficult to transport EVMs to polling stations? • Can exposure to elements damage the EVMs? Do these need AC rooms? • Can the EVMs show at a point of time total number of votes polled? • What if the number of candidates is only 10, smaller than the capacity of one balloting unit, 16? Can votes be wasted by pressing numbers 11 to 16? • Ballot boxes are engraved. What about EVMs? Electronic Voting Machines: FAQs • Is there a provision of issuing tendered ballot papers when EVMs are used? • How can polling agents be satisfied that the EVMs are empty before the commencement of the poll? • How do EVMs avoid the possibility of recording further votes after the close of the poll? • What has been the rate of malfunctioning? • Has there been any resistance to EVMs from political parties? • How about civil society? • Are the EVMs networked? EVMs: Impact and Lessons Positive Outcomes: • Illiterate voters took to it without any difficulty • Least violent elections in recent past • Low cost • No tampering with technology • Speedy counting and declaration of results • No invalid votes • Political parties demonstrated high level of maturity • Flawless, fully electronic voting -ECI took in stride Can other countries emulate? • Size of electorate • Cost a consideration? • Literacy levels and spread of IT Thank you