Comparison Between Electronic Voting Machines and Ballot Paper

Elections in India are generally a joyous occasion. It is the most visible manifestation of our democratic beliefs and adherence to the Constitution. People over the age of 18 are eligible to vote and have their citizenship recognised. We have the ability to choose our representatives through these votes in order to improve and grow our society. Let us now look at the two types of voting in India: postal ballots and electronic voting machines, as well as the differences between them.

Electronic Voting Machines

In India, electronic voting machines (EVMs) are used to cast votes. This is a machine that electronically casts voters' votes, minimising the amount of human labour involved in voting. In the 1990s, the state-owned Electronics Corporation of India and Bharat Electronics developed and tested the usage of EVMs and electronic voting.. EVMs also help in saving time and resources as the counting process is much faster compared to manual counting. The results are available within hours of the voting process, reducing the waiting time for the announcement of the election outcome. Additionally, EVMs are tamper-proof, ensuring the integrity of the election process and minimizing the possibility of fraud.

Furthermore, EVMs provide a user-friendly interface that makes it easier for voters, especially those with disabilities, to cast their votes independently and privately. They also have built-in features such as braille labels and audio feedback to assist visually impaired voters. This promotes inclusivity and accessibility in the electoral process. Overall, the introduction of EVMs has revolutionized the electoral process, making it more efficient, accurate, and transparent. It has modernized the way elections are conducted and has been widely adopted by many countries around the world. While there are some concerns regarding security and hacking, continuous advancements in technology aim to address these issues and further enhance the reliability and effectiveness of EVMs in the future.

Ballot Paper

Ballot paper is defined as a piece of paper used mostly during the election process. It appears to be an offline voting mechanism. Even today, the election of the President of India is conducted in the same method. During the election, the names of the contesting candidates and their election emblems, as well as the name of the election party, are written on the ballot paper in a listed fashion in a common language.

Ballot paper voting, although seen as outdated by some, is still trusted by many voters due to its reliability and transparency. It offers a tangible proof of one's vote, making it possible to audit and verify the results. This gives voters a sense of confidence in the electoral process. However, there are certain disadvantages to ballot paper voting. It is a time-consuming and labor-intensive method, requiring manual counting and sorting of votes. This can lead to delays in announcing the results, especially in large elections. Additionally, there is a risk of invalid votes if voters incorrectly mark their ballots or unintentionally spoil them. This can impact the accuracy of the final outcome. Another concern is the environmental impact of using large amounts of paper for ballots, as it contributes to deforestation and waste generation.

Difference Between EVM and Ballot Paper

• EVMs are lighter, more portable, and come with polypropylene carrying cases, making them easier to move than ballot boxes. Voting is also faster in areas with high illiteracy because people find EVMs easier to use than ballot paper systems.

• Ballot paper wastes paper and is a step backward. When even the most polluting businesses are attempting to become greener and lower their carbon footprints, using paper on such a large scale despite the availability of more eco-friendly alternatives is a direct disregard for the environment. Whereas EVMs malfunctioning during the election process has previously been documented as a result of some intrinsic flaws in a specific machine. However, upon receipt of the fault report, the machine is replaced, the voting process is hampered for the time being, and sometimes a repoll is undertaken.

• If the stamp is not properly placed on the paper ballot, it will be counted as an invalid vote. This issue will be solved by using EVMs. Though wealthy countries have returned to paper ballots, because to their tiny population, it will not require much effort for them, thus we cannot declare that it is appropriate for all countries. Decisions should be made after considering all relevant factors.

• The discovery of technical problems in a few EVMs does not imply that all EVMs are flawed. The fact that flaws in EVMs can be detected makes them superior to ballot papers, which have little scope for detection and verification.

• Manual that takes a long time to complete Ballot Counting.Votes are manually counted, which is a time-consuming and error-prone operation. During the 2014 General Elections, there were around 80 crore registered voters in India, and this figure is expected to rise further in the upcoming elections. Manually counting 80 million votes is a demanding task that takes many days to complete. Even though there are numerous problems surrounding EVMs, it all boils down to whether the EVMs can be hacked or tampered with, which has yet to be demonstrated. These concerns pale in comparison to the unfair practises that occurred when paper ballots were utilised to cast votes during elections. Unless there is evidence of tampering with EVMs, they are unquestionably the preferable alternative; nevertheless, if they are hackable, it may result in disaster during preset elections.