EVM and VVPAT: How India Votes on Machines
The three units on the voting table, the checks every machine goes through, the 40-year journey from Paravur to 2024, and what the Supreme Court has said about paper trails.
What it isWhat Is EVM and VVPAT? In Simple Words
Representation of the People Act, 1951, Section 61A. Voting machines at elections.— Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or the rules made thereunder, the giving and recording of votes by voting machines in such manner as may be prescribed, may be adopted in such constituency or constituencies as the Election Commission may, having regard to the circumstances of each case, specify.
An EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) is a simple calculator for votes. You press a blue button next to your candidate; the machine adds one to that candidate's count. The VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) is a small printer beside it that shows you a paper slip with the symbol you chose for 7 seconds, then drops it into a sealed box. The slip is your proof; the box allows a paper recount if needed.
🏠 Everyday analogy
It is like a shop's billing machine that also prints a receipt. You see the receipt to check the bill, but the shop keeps it in a locked box for the auditor.
🇮🇳 Real Indian example
In the 2024 Lok Sabha election about 55 lakh EVM units were used, and VVPAT slips of 5 random booths in every Assembly segment were counted and matched with the machines.
How it worksHow EVM and VVPAT Work, and the Safeguards
| Unit | Where | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Ballot Unit | Inside the voting compartment | Shows names and symbols with a blue button for each, including NOTA (16 per unit) |
| Control Unit | With the Presiding Officer | Releases one vote per voter ('Ballot' button), stores the count, shows the result at counting |
| VVPAT | Beside the Ballot Unit | Prints a slip with serial number, name and symbol, visible for 7 seconds through a window |
- 1Made in India
Only two public sector companies make them: Bharat Electronics Ltd (Bengaluru) and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (Hyderabad).
- 2Standalone
No internet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or wired network; runs on a battery; the software is on a one-time programmable chip.
- 3First Level Check and randomisation
Engineers test every machine before parties' representatives; machines are allotted to constituencies and then booths by random computer draws.
- 4Mock poll
On polling day, before voting starts, at least 50 test votes are cast in front of candidates' agents and cleared.
- 5Seal and strong room
After polling, machines are sealed with agents' signatures and kept in guarded strong rooms with CCTV until counting.
- 6VVPAT match
At counting, slips of 5 randomly picked booths per Assembly segment are counted by hand and matched with the EVM count.
HistoryHistory of EVM in India and the Supreme Court Judgments
- 1
🖲️ May 1982: Paravur, Kerala
EVMs used in 50 of 84 booths of a by-election, the first anywhere in India.
- 2
⚖️ 1984: A. C. Jose v. Sivan Pillai
The Supreme Court set the Paravur result aside: no law allowed machines, and the Commission cannot override the law.
- 3
📜 1988-89: Section 61A
Parliament amended the RP Act, 1951 to allow voting machines (in force March 1989).
- 4
🇮🇳 2004: all 543 seats
The first general election held fully on EVMs.
- 5
🧾 2013: VVPAT arrives
First used at the Noksen (Nagaland) by-election in September; on 8 October the Supreme Court (Subramanian Swamy v. ECI) called a paper trail indispensable for free and fair elections.
- 6
✅ 2019: VVPAT everywhere
VVPAT in every polling station; on 8 April 2019 (N. Chandrababu Naidu) the Court raised the random slip check from 1 to 5 booths per Assembly segment.
- 7
🔐 26 April 2024: ADR v. ECI
The Court refused to bring back paper ballots or count all VVPAT slips, but ordered Symbol Loading Units to be sealed and kept for 45 days and allowed candidates placed second or third to ask, within 7 days and at their own cost, for checks of the burnt memory of up to 5% of EVMs per Assembly segment.
DebateEVM Debate: Advantages and Concerns
Why EVMs are used
- No invalid votes: ballot papers had lakhs of spoilt votes
- Fast, accurate counting in hours, not days
- Ended booth capturing by stuffing ballot boxes; the machine allows only a few votes a minute
- Saves crores of sheets of paper
Concerns people raise
- Voters cannot see how the machine stores their vote
- Demand for 100% VVPAT count or a return to paper ballots
- Questions on the Symbol Loading Unit and machine custody
- The Supreme Court found no proof of tampering in 2024
Connect the dotsRead Next: Related Notes
- The button for 'none of the above': NOTA, electoral bonds and election funding.
- Polling and counting in the full calendar: Election process step by step.
- Why the Commission could not use EVMs without a law: Powers of the Election Commission.
- How to challenge a result: Election petition.
Quick revisionOne-Line Revision Points (Exam Ready)
- EVM = Electronic Voting Machine; VVPAT = Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail.
- First used: Paravur (Kerala), 1982; legal basis: Section 61A, RP Act 1951.
- Makers: BEL (Bengaluru) and ECIL (Hyderabad).
- First fully-EVM general election: 2004.
- First VVPAT: Noksen, Nagaland (2013); paper trail ordered in Subramanian Swamy (2013).
- VVPAT slips of 5 booths per Assembly segment are counted (Chandrababu Naidu, 2019).
- ADR v. ECI (2024): no return to paper ballots; SLUs sealed 45 days; 5% burnt-memory check on request.
Practice MCQPractice MCQs (with Answers): EVM and VVPAT
Where were EVMs first used in India?
Which section of the RP Act, 1951 permits the use of voting machines?
For how many seconds is the VVPAT slip visible to the voter?
In which case did the Supreme Court raise VVPAT verification to 5 booths per Assembly segment?
Consider the 2024 ADR v. ECI judgment: 1. It ordered a return to paper ballots. 2. It allowed candidates placed second or third to seek a check of EVM burnt memory. Which is/are correct?
Doubts ClearedFrequently Asked Questions
What is the full form of EVM and VVPAT?
EVM is Electronic Voting Machine. VVPAT is Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail.
Can an EVM be hacked?
The Commission says EVMs are standalone with no network, on one-time programmable chips, and are guarded by checks and seals. The Supreme Court in 2024 found no evidence of tampering but added extra safeguards.
How many VVPAT slips are counted?
Slips of 5 randomly selected polling stations in every Assembly segment, matched with their EVM counts.
Who makes EVMs in India?
Bharat Electronics Ltd (Bengaluru) and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (Hyderabad), both public sector companies.
Sources and further readingSources We Checked
Facts checked on 21 October 2026. Hindi text of Section 61A is a simple rendering.