The issue of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) has once again come into the discussion. As elections approach, the issue of EVMs automatically comes into the headlines. But this time the issue was not raised by the opposition, rather the Supreme Court has raised the issue and sought answers from the Central Government.
The Supreme Court has put an important question to the government regarding the current system of counting votes. The apex court has asked the Central Government why ‘totalizer’ technology cannot be used instead of booth-wise counting of votes recorded in EVMs. First of all, let us tell you what exactly is this totalizer? Why supreme? The court stated that a totalizer should be used.
A totalizer is a system designed to prevent the voting patterns of voters at different polling stations from becoming public. This means that voter identity can be kept confidential by using this system.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, is hearing the case. A petition has been filed before the court demanding that election results be declared in a manner that makes it impossible to easily identify which candidate voted for which particular candidate in a particular booth or area. This system can only be implemented through a totalizer. Therefore, the court has now sought a response from the government regarding this system.
What is a Totalizer Machine? Explain it in Simple Language
First, let’s explain what a Totalizer is.
Totalizer is a technology, a system that combines the votes from multiple EVMs to produce a result, rather than displaying the results of EVMs from a single polling station separately. The proposed system could combine the votes from approximately 14 EVMs to produce a combined tally for candidates. This makes it difficult to determine the voting patterns of any single booth. If implemented fully, voter privacy would be maintained. Regarding the current system, this situation still exists. Whenever election results are announced, it becomes clear in every area what percentage of votes a particular caste cast for a candidate, which then leads to a sense of crowding. However, it is being said that this will not happen if a totalizer is used. Therefore, the court has sought an answer from the central government, asking what its thoughts are on implementing this system.
What did the Supreme Court ask?
During the hearing, the court asked the central government to clarify what legal or practical obstacles exist in implementing the totalizer system. It was also asked whether, if the current booth-wise vote count ensures transparency, what additional benefits could a totalizer provide to democracy and voter protection?
Election Commission Expresses Objection
The Election Commission of India has expressed opposition to the idea of a totalizer. According to the Commission, booth-wise data is crucial in the current electoral system. The data recorded in Form 17C, generated during voting, is used to match the EVM results during vote counting. The Commission believes that booth-wise counting makes the process more clear and verifiable. Therefore, why use a totalizer?
For now, following the Supreme Court’s directive, the central government will have to clarify its stance. The court will then decide whether changes to the current system are necessary.
