An Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) is a portable microcontroller-based instrument designed to modernize the Election process.
- It is manufactured and supplied to the ECI by Bharat Electronics and the Electronic Corporation of India Limited.
- Ballot Unit: Functions like a keyboard with 16 buttons/keys.
- Control Unit: Also called the master unit, remains with the polling/presiding officer
- VVPAT: Allows the voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended.
- When a vote is cast, a slip is printed containing the serial number, name, and symbol of the candidate
- This slip is visible through a transparent window for 7 seconds before it is automatically cut and dropped into a sealed box.
- It was introduced to have the fullest transparency in the voting system and to restore the confidence of the voters by ensuring the accuracy of the voting system using EVMs.
- Note: It was first used in the Goa Legislative Election (2017).
Source: The Hindu