An Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) is a compact, portable device used to electronically record votes cast in elections. Voters can make their selection by pressing one of the blue buttons next to the serial number, name, and symbol of the candidate of their choice, or choose the option of “none of the above”.
The EVM consists of three units – a ballot unit, a control unit, and a voter-verifiable-paper-audit-trail (VVPAT) unit. The control unit is used by the officer in charge to ensure that each voter can only cast one vote. The VVPAT unit produces a paper slip that is visible to the voter for about seven seconds before being stored in a sealed drop box.
During the voting process, the control unit is placed next to the officer in charge, while the ballot unit and VVPAT unit are kept in a voting compartment for voters to make their choices privately. The entire system operates without any wired or wireless connectivity to outside sources.
Each ballot unit can accommodate 16 candidate options, including “none of the above.” Up to 24 ballot units can be connected to a control unit, allowing for a maximum of 384 candidates to be included on the EVM system for one seat. EVM systems are capable of recording up to 2,000 votes and are powered by batteries or power packs supplied by government manufacturers such as Bharat Electronics Ltd and Electronics Corp of India. Election staff carefully monitor and check each EVM before and during the election process to ensure accuracy and integrity of the voting system.