EVM row: Get VVPATs working to save democracy

Can the EVMs be hacked?

This is a question that has been tested several times and has even reached the Supreme Court of India in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy.

The concerns assume significance in the light of the fact that the machine is accessed by people not belonging to the Election Commission (EC) at different stages of its life cycle: the manufacturing companies; the foreign companies that supply micro-controllers and the private players involved in the maintenance of the EVMs.

In a paper ‘Security Analysis of India’s Electronic Voting Machines’, eight computer scientists have argued that Indian EVMs are vulnerable to serious attacks that can alter the election results.

These computer scientists include a PhD holder from Princeton University and managing director of a research and development firm in Hyderabad.

In another paper published by International Electrical & Electronics Engineering Journal by Professors of Computer Science, it has been argued that EVMs aren’t safe and trustworthy, with Indian EVMs being the least safe and trustworthy. These findings cast serious concerns that need to be studied further and acknowledged.

International experiences

In 2009, Germany's Supreme Court ruled that e-voting was unconstitutional stating that an ordinary citizen is not privy to the processes in the casting of the actual vote including recording and tallying.

It ruled, “It did not matter that electronic voting machines were efficient. Their use was a violation of the fundamental right to information as the voter was unable to see clearly to whom he was casting his vote and how it was being counted. It was a constitutional principle in German law that the transparency of elections was more important than the efficiency of conducting elections.”

Netherlands banned the voting machines on the grounds of lack of transparency and risk of eavesdropping.

Ireland initiated e-voting scheme in 2006. The scheme involved several innovations such as touch-screen voting and was launched with amidst much fanfare.

However, three years later it scrapped the whole initiative because of lack of people’s faith in the machines.

There is a growing demand of paper ballots in the USA too with California banning EVMs use altogether.

Conclusion

The EVMs must have a provision of the paper trail in them – a proof that can be verified at the time of casting the vote. This is called the Voter Verified Paper-Audit Trail (VVPAT) system. This would address most of the objections raised against the EVMs. In the event of a dispute about the result, the paper ballots can be hand-counted.

The Supreme Court of India in the judgment of PIL filed by Dr Swamy ruled, “The paper trail is an indispensable requirement of free and fair elections. The confidence of the voters in the EVMs can be achieved only with the introduction of the 'paper trail'. EVMs with VVPAT system ensure the accuracy of the voting system. With an intent to have the fullest transparency in the system and to restore the confidence of the voters, it is necessary to set up EVMs with VVPAT system because a vote is nothing but an act of expression which has immense importance in a democratic system.”

However, allowing for a paper trail will mean a huge jump in costs and in the average time taken for casting the vote.

This becomes all the more important in the light of the claims by Shrikant Shirsat, an independent candidate who secured 0 votes in Bombay Municipal Polls. He along with his family claims that he voted for himself.

In Punjab, Election Commission had VVPAT system in 32 Vidhan Sabhas. This system is like the Decision Review System (DRS) used in cricket. It is used only when a party feels aggrieved by the decision of the umpire and is confident enough to challenge it.

It is time the EC orders recounting of the paper trails and restores faith in Indian democracy and its own credibility. This system, after all, was instituted for a moment like this only.

Saurabh Bhardwaj’s act of tampering a replica of EVM that isn’t connected to any other device by means of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or wire has raised serious questions about the trustworthiness of EVMs.

Scepticism is the currency of democracy. Let’s be sceptical.

(The author is a member of Aam Aadmi Party and currently works on education policy research and design with Ministry of Education, Government of Delhi. Views expressed are personal.)