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Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail Machines

India is a democratically governed country. About VVPAT, it helps to defend democracy in India. The Election Commission of India plays a significant role. To know more, read the article.

Ballot papers were used in India’s first elections following independence. Later on, significant faults in the system were discovered, which fostered corruption and may be deadly to democracy. Then came the electronic voting machines (EVMs). Here’s where you can learn more about Electronic Voting Machines. It has been used for elections. Many political parties in the country are once again discussing using the VVPAT method for elections in the Election Commission. Let’s know Who makes VVPAT, About VVPAT, How Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail Machines Work?, the use of VVPAT, and the history of VVPAT. This page contains information about everything.

What is VVPAT?

With the aid of this feature, a slip is created once the vote is cast during the election of any voting machine. It is a printed independent verification machine attached to a voting machine. This slip indicates to the voter that his vote was cast in the appropriate spot, i.e., for his preferred candidate. If an irregularity in the results is discovered during the counting of votes, this slip will be used.

Who Invented VVPAT?

Sajiv Chokshi invented VVPAT in 2010. It is Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail, and it is a method of providing feedback to voters used in electronic voting machines. In this method, a printed record of the vote is created visible to the voter. This record can be used later if needed to verify individual votes or examine the results of an election.

Natarajan was a scientist at ECIL (the Electronics Corporation of India Limited), where he worked with other scientists to create the VVPAT system as we know it today. K. Natarajan received the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour.

The use of this system has increased with time because it has proven to reduce fraud and create more accurate voting results. VVPAT also increases transparency and prevents manual counting errors, which leads to quicker results.

What is the full form of VVPAT?

VVPAT full form is Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail

After modifying the regulations for holding elections in 1961, the Government of India permitted the Election Commission to use VVPATs instead of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) for elections on August 14, 2013. The usage of VVPATs has increased electoral transparency. VVPAT will only be utilised in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and future elections, according to the Election Commission.

VVPAT is a shorter version of EVM. The manufacture is done by two large Indian electronic businesses chosen by the Election Commission. Bharat Electronics Limited makes VVPATs in Bangalore and Electronics Corporation of India in Hyderabad. These businesses also prepare electronic machines for the armed services, such as the Indian Army, and voting equipment. 

How does VVPAT work

When a voter uses the VVPAT machine to cast his vote, the machine generates a printed slip. The election emblem of the party voted for, and the candidate’s name is printed on this slip. With this feature, the voter may be certain that his vote was cast for the candidate of his choice. This slip is displayed in the glass casing of this machine for approximately 7 seconds after the voter casts his vote. The slip is then produced and placed in the machine’s dropbox. When the slip is dropped into the dropbox, a buzzer is displayed. Only poll workers are aware of the specific controls for this equipment. As a result, no one else can control it.

What is the use of VVPAT?

For the first time, VVPAT allows the voter to challenge her/his vote based on the paper receipt. According to a new regulation, the booth presiding officer must record the dissent of the vote, so it can be taken into account when the votes are counted. 

Voters in the constituencies where it has been deployed thus far have expressed appreciation and satisfaction with the service. In light of this outcome, the Election Commission of India is attempting to apply it to different upcoming elections in the country. This feature is only available in EVMs made after 2006 with updated technology. The Election Commission attempts to apply it throughout the country in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

What is the version of VVPAT?

VVPAT is a technology used by a ballotless voting system to offer feedback to voters. A VVPAT is meant to be an impartial voting machine verification system that allows voters to confirm that their ballots were cast correctly, identify potential electoral fraud or failure, and give away of checking the electronic results saved.

The M3 generation of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) has a VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) architecture. Electronic voting is the conventional method of conducting elections in India utilising electronic voting machines, often known as “EVMs.” EVMs were gradually introduced in Indian elections between 1998 and 2001.

Conclusion

Voters are given feedback via the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail. It’s a self-contained verification printer that’s connected to electronic voting equipment. It allows voters to see if their vote went to their intended candidate. As a result, the implementation of About VVPAT is projected to impact the country’s elections positively. I hope you would have now been able to know the basic details of VVPAT. In this article, we have discussed Who makes VVPAT,  About VVPAT, How Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail Machines Work?, the use of VVPAT, and its history.

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Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the UPSC Examination Preparation.

What is the price of a single VVPAT system?

Ans. VVPAT cost is estimated at Rs 10,000 for bulk orders. The single VVPAT Cost is around Rs 19,650. 

How does VVPAT work?

Ans. A slip is produced with the candidate’s serial number, name, and symbol when a vote is cast using an EVM....Read full

Where were VVPATs used for the first time in India?

Ans. VVPATs with EVMs were utilised for the first time in a Nagaland bye-election in the 51-Noksen (ST) assembly sea...Read full

What was the first place in India where VVPATs were used?

Ans. In Nagaland’s 51-Noksen (ST) assembly seat, VVPATs with EVMs were utilised for the first time in a by-ele...Read full

What do you think about the future of VVPAT?

Ans. Voters in the seats where it has been deployed so far have expressed their gratitude and satisfaction with the ...Read full