Maharashtra Polls: Ensuring Credibility with EVMs and VVPATs

During last month's Maharashtra state assembly elections, 1,440 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) matched Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) counts, verifying their accuracy. Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kiran Kulkarni asserted the reliability of EVMs amidst concerns and detailed investigations into Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations.

Maharashtra's election process has witnessed a significant affirmation of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs). According to Kiran Kulkarni, the Additional Chief Electoral Officer, all 1,440 VVPATs verified during the state assembly polls showed results consistent with the EVM counts.

Addressing growing concerns from opposition parties about the possibility of tampering, Kulkarni emphasized the foolproof design of EVMs, highlighting their standalone mechanism to prevent hacking. The Model Code of Conduct violations also saw a steep rise to 659 cases during the assembly elections, compared to 366 during the Lok Sabha polls.

The Supreme Court-mandated Checking and Verification process adds another layer of transparency, allowing candidates to verify EVMs and VVPATs. Through rigorous protocols, the Election Commission of India seeks to build trust among voters, ensuring a credible and smooth electoral process in Maharashtra.

(With inputs from agencies.)