Key Points
INDIA makes a different proposal: Instead of the voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) slip falling in the box, it should be handed over to the voter who shall then place it in a separate ballot box after having verified his or her choice. 100% counting of VVPAT slips should then be done.. This issue is also likely to come up after the winter vacation in the Supreme Court in apetitionfiled by the Association for DemocraticReforms...
Frankly, the commission has not quite been forthcoming in fostering trust, responding to legitimate queries, and taking on board valid suggestions on this issue.Ithas long maintained that the EVMs are stand-alone machines that cannot be connected, directly or remotely, to any external device..
One, the ECI should place in the public domain the source code of the software being used for the Control Unit, the VVPAT, and the Symbol Loading Unit and allow representatives of political parties to verify its authenticity at the time of elections..
Two, the commission should alter the existing process, so that the randomised allotment of EVMs to specific polling booths is done by a draw of lots in the presence of the representatives of the candidates (not through a centralised server) and doneafterthe loading of symbols and commissioning of EVMs (not before the loading as is the case now)..
Three, and most important of all, the VVPAT slip (and not the electronic record in the Control Unit) should be recognised as the legally authentic expression of vote.The logical corollary isthatthe final result must be declared only after all the votes, as verified by the voters and recorded in the VVPAT slips, are counted and matched with the electronic count in the Control Unit..
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