Editorial
EVM AND THE INTEGRITY OF ELECTIONS
The ECI Must Come Clean on Discrepancies
Dear Readers,
Why are we discussing free and fair elections just after the process got over? Well, partly because the elections took place amid allegations of serious anomalies and partly because many troubling questions remain unanswered. What made matters worse was that the referee of the game, the Election Commission of India (ECI), did little to dispel doubts and seemed hesitant when required to take firm action. So, it is as good a time as any to examine the legal, technical, and procedural lapses – lest we forget yet again, as is our wont.
That is why, this issue of your journal is dedicated to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the integrity of Indian elections. The point is not that the polls were majorly rigged but it is that the recurring doubts must be cleared and the ECI must come clean. The attempt here is to examine the mystery around the EVMs, right from their installation and loading of symbols to the counting of the votes. We also analyse other vital issues such as campaign expenditure, misuse of public-funded advertisements, organised fake news and disinformation, and the inscrutable case of the electoral bonds now declared unconstitutional.
The polling we witnessed recently was as stormy as it was humongous. Over 64 crore people, roughly about eight per cent of the global population voted in 28 states and eight UTs. This was facilitated by more than one crore polling officials who crisscrossed the country to install around 20 lakh EVMs, according to official figures. While all this was happening in seven phases, the Supreme Court had to intervene several times amid charges of irregularities and data obfuscation.
Our biggest concern is that the ECI failed to reassure people about its own credibility and the reliability of the process under its watch. It should have answered questions that voters don’t easily understand i.e. the integrity of the software which runs EVMs along with the Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and the control units, and the procedure of loading symbols or burnt memory. There were also issues about the storage and safekeeping of reserve EVMs and their transportation.
But above all, many activists and civil society organisations have flagged serious discrepancies between the number of votes polled on the EVMs and the number of votes counted. An unusual hike has been reported in the number of votes counted in every phase of the elections. The ECI must explain why there was a spike or fall in the final voter turnout, which, according to some estimates, could have influenced the verdict.
There is no denying that the buck stops at the ECI. But the constitutional authority has not exactly wrapped itself in glory. It failed to act against star campaigners who incited hatred and polarised voters. It also failed to check organised disinformation on digital platforms and act against sections of the media which purveyed falsehood and motivated propaganda. Its silence on the discrepancies is deafening.
We also believe that free and fair elections need an impartial appointment of the election commissioners. Most mature democracies do this through collegiums or parliamentary oversight and not unilaterally by the government of the day. This was corrected by an apex court verdict which was unfortunately overturned through legislation. All this must be discussed and addressed because at stake is the legitimacy of India’s democracy.
Please let us know what you think. As always, your views and comments are welcome at commoncauseindia@gmail.com
Vipul Mudgal
Editor
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