Question

Discuss the changing voting methods in India over the years.

Answer 1

Instructions:

• Begin by discussing how elections were conducted earlier.​
• Then discuss in brief about EVMs and list their advantages.

Solution:
Changing Methods of Voting:

• In the first two elections, separate ballot boxes with each candidate's name and symbol were set up in the polling booth.
• Voters had to put their blank ballot paper in the box for the candidate they wanted to support.
• After the second election, voting began with each voter using a ballot paper that contained the candidates' names and symbols.
• Each voter had to deposit the ballot paper in a common ballot box.
• The Electronic Voting Machine was used in Kerala for the first time in India in 1982.
• In 2003, all state elections were conducted using EVMs.
• This encouraged the ECI to use EVMs for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
• Electronic Voting Machines allow voters to vote by pressing a button next to the name or image of the candidate they want to support.

Merits of Electronic Voting Machine:

• EVMs are eco-friendly as they require less use of paper. Whereas voting through the ballot box involves lots of paper printing.
• EVMs are more efficient as they reduce the possibility of invalid votes.
• Fast counting and elimination of miscounting of votes make the election process efficient.
• Numerous procedures are involved for voting through ballot paper, from printing ballots to manually counting the votes. Paper ballots also always have the risk of human error, whether it's miscounting votes or mixing up ballots.
• EVMs are more secure as the possibility of hacking or tampering with them is negligible.