Why EVMs must go(Doubts over EVMs and strengths of paper ballot)

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 Why EVMs must go(Doubts over EVMs and strengths of paper ballot)

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• Malfunctioning versus Tampering : The present discourse around EVMs brings to focus two things - malfunction (when an EVM has a technical defect), and tampering (when there is manipulation to do some fraud). We are not separating one from the other today, but even if discrepancy of 1 vote crops up, it should be unacceptable. Best democracies worldwide follow this.
• Why are we a democracy? Because it gives a moral legitimacy to the government. That comes via the people's will. That comes from the power of voting anonymously - the secret ballot.
• The need to be correct : That anonymous vote must be recorded correctly, and counted correctly, and must be seen to be done so. The public must be able to see and verify this recording and counting process. So TRANSPARENCY + VERIFIABILITY + SECRECY OF VOTING = THREE PILLARS of a free and fair election.
• Valid for any polling method : Whether we support EVMs or not, any polling method must pass these 3 tests, to remain legitimate. Paper ballots pass all 3 tests. How? The voter sees visually the vote being registered, the voting happens secretly, and counting happens in front of representative's eyes. EVMs fail on all three counts.
• German Court's verdict, 2009 : It went against the EVMs, and the nation scrapped EVMs and went back to paper ballot. Netherlands and Ireland too scrapped it.
• Problem with electronics : The display of vote when we press the button may not be the same as the storage of the vote internally in the chip memory. That is why the VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) was introduced.
• VVPAT half the solution only : Voting part is now taken care of. But the counting part still remains opaque. If there is any error, what is the solution? None at all. Electronic recount is useless. Statistics show that present system of 1 randomly chosen polling booth per constituency would miss faulty EVMs in 99% of the cases!
• The right way : Even if 1 faulty EVM is found, then the entire set of EVMs in that constituency must be subjected to hand-counting of all VVPATs. Without this, it is just a superficial drama.
• Secrecy : The boothwise voting patterns are easily known with the EVMs now, as mixing of votes is not possible at all. So, marginalised communities can be pressurised directly, and forced into submission. The solution is "Totaliser machines" that the EC does not want to adopt!
• Tremendous confidence of the ECI : The EVMs enjoy its full confidence, despite all the apparent structural drawbacks. It keeps repeating that "Indian EVMs are tamper-proof". What software is loaded on the chips, no one knows, but the manufacturer. That act is not verifiable from the outside, but the results got from it are considered verified!
• Integrity of elections is paramount : The paper ballots are costlier, but if integrity is lost, of what use is saving the cost! The argument that booth-capturing is avoided is a flawed one, as smartphone in every hand can easily capture all culprits. But just imagine if the EVM code is tampered with - that would be booth-capturing on a gargantuan scale!
• Suspicion will always remain : Since EVMs can never be totally cleared of suspicion, unlike paper ballots, the whole process is under a cloud.
• Stop insulting the sceptics : Instead of mocking the EVM-sceptics as ignorant technophobes, it is better to listen to them and provide a proper solution that entire India can trust without a shade of doubt. That is what EC's duty is. Legitimacy is a basic need, not an optional luxury.
• Summary : The fundamental structure of the EVM process fails on all three key tests - transparency, verifiability, secrecy.

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