The Election Commission of India has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for checking and verifying burnt memory in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with expanded options for candidates. According to news agency ANI, these include the option to select EVMs from any polling station in a constituency, mix and match EVM units (BU-CU-VVPAT) from any polling station, connect BU-CU-VVPATs in any sequence, and cast up to 1,400 votes in mock polls in any sequence.
The committee also said concerns about hidden features or bias in the firmware are eliminated by the “randomness” and “vastness” of the test vectors in this CV process, adding that the wide and varied selection, determined solely by the candidate, ensures that the combination of number of key presses and the order in which the keys are pressed creates a very large number of inputs to the EVM.
Instead of a controlled environment process, adopting an outcome-based approach to the CV process increases transparency and ensures active participation from candidates.
“A candidate can select the EVM from any polling station in the Assembly constituency or block. A candidate can select the polling station or the serial number of the voting machine in the Assembly block or block,” the Election Commission added.
The Election Commission also said that a candidate can select any combination of BU-CU-VVPAT from any polling station in the CV constituency and it is not necessary for the candidate to select other units of the same set in the particular polling station selected by him.
“Candidates can decide the order in which the EVM units (BU-CU-VVPAT) are connected and the number and sequence of votes to be cast in the mock poll. Candidates can cast a maximum of 1,400 votes in the mock poll in any sequence. The mock VVPAT votes will be counted as per the procedure laid down by the Commission,” it said.
Earlier, the commission had informed that it has received a total of eight applications for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and three applications for the state assembly elections for checking/verification of burnt memory/microcontroller of EVMs after declaration of results.
(Information provided by agency)
