Editing Electronic voting in India (section)

=== Further improvements ===
As it was possible to know how many people from a polling station exactly voted for a candidate, there was a probability that a winning candidate might show favoritism or hold a grudge on specific areas depending on the votes received. In order to mitigate the issue, a [[totaliser]] was developed in 2008, which was connected to several EVM units and displayed only the overall results instead of votes from individual machines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/New+counting+method+for+Assembly+polls/1/21718.html|title=New counting method for Assembly polls|date=4 December 2008|work=[[India Today]]|access-date=10 January 2019|archive-date=12 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312065130/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/New+counting+method+for+Assembly+polls/1/21718.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=http://pib.nic.in/elections2009/volume1/Chap-39.pdf|title=Know Your Electronic Voting Machine|work=[[Press Information Bureau]]|access-date=1 September 2010|archive-date=5 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605194131/http://pib.nic.in/elections2009/volume1/Chap-39.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

After a consultation with the political parties in 2010, the Election Commission appointed an expert technical committee to study the feasibility of a [[voter-verified paper audit trail]] (VVPAT) in EVMs as a measure of transparency.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/evm-vvpat-case-supreme-court-lok-sabha-elections-13763213.html|title=EVM-VVPAT case: Why were VVPATs introduced? What is the controversy?|date=24 April 2024|access-date=1 July 2024|newspaper=[[First Post]]|archive-date=3 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603163708/https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/evm-vvpat-case-supreme-court-lok-sabha-elections-13763213.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The committee was tasked with examining the possibility of displaying a printed paper to a voter which consisted of the symbol of the party to which the vote was cast.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/27901-delhi-hc-to-decide-on-evms.html|title=Delhi HC to decide on EVMs|date=15 December 2011|newspaper=The Pioneer|access-date=10 January 2012|first=Rakesh|last=Ranjan|archive-date=7 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107192211/http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/27901-delhi-hc-to-decide-on-evms.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Based on the recommendation of the committee, a VVPAT system was developed and was put on field trials in 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-vvpat-was-brought-in-why-oppn-wants-all-slips-verified-9258995/|title=Why VVPAT was brought in, why Opposition wants all slips verified|date=9 April 2024|access-date=1 June 2024|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|archive-date=1 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240501114558/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-vvpat-was-brought-in-why-oppn-wants-all-slips-verified-9258995/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Election Commission to introduce EVM and VVPAT system for more transparent electronic voting|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-06-21/news/29683624_1_polling-stations-voter-electronic-voting-machine|access-date=28 July 2012|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|date=21 June 2011|archive-date=18 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018140639/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-06-21/news/29683624_1_polling-stations-voter-electronic-voting-machine|url-status=dead}}</ref> In July 2011, trials were conducted at 175 polling booths in [[Ladakh]], [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Cherrapunjee]], [[East Delhi]] and [[Jaisalmer]] to test the performance of the VVPAT system under various weather conditions.<ref>{{cite news|title=New voting machines found perfect: Election Commission|url=http://www.kolkatanews.net/story/817207|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130413205244/http://www.kolkatanews.net/story/817207|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 April 2013|access-date=28 July 2012|newspaper=Kolkata News|date=28 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=New Voting Machines Found Perfect: EC|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=109901|access-date=28 July 2012|website=[[Daijiworld Media]]|date=28 July 2011|archive-date=6 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106133222/http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=109901|url-status=live}}</ref>

VVPAT was further introduced on a trial basis in a by-poll at [[Noksen (Assembly Constituency)|Noksen]] in [[Nagaland]] in September 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/nagaland-first-to-use-vvpat-device-for-voting-113090401142_1.html|title=Nagaland first to use VVPAT device for voting|date=4 September 2014|newspaper=[[Business Standard]]|access-date=9 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-09-04/news/41765831_1_npf-verifiable-paper-audit-trail-vvpat|title=VVPAT used or the first time in Noksen bypolls|last=Singh|first=Bikash|date=4 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|access-date=9 September 2017|archive-date=12 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412002416/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-09-04/news/41765831_1_npf-verifiable-paper-audit-trail-vvpat|url-status=dead }}</ref> It was later used in various [[State Assembly elections in India|legislative elections]] and in eight Lok Sabha constituencies in [[2014 Indian general election]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/473723-india-devises-flawless-ballot-mechanism|title=India devises flawless ballot mechanism|date=19 December 2013|work=[[The News International]]|access-date=9 September 2017|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225053023/https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/473723-india-devises-flawless-ballot-mechanism|url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/elections-2014/ls-polls-voters-to-get-automated-receipts-at-gandhinagar-114042901134_1.html|title=LS polls: Voters to get 'automated-receipts' at Gandhinagar|date=29 April 2014|newspaper=[[Business Standard]]|access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/vvpat-machine-to-be-on-demonstration-for-10-days/article5868161.ece|title=VVPAT machine to be on demonstration for 10 days|date=4 April 2014|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=10 January 2019|archive-date=30 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530024131/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/vvpat-machine-to-be-on-demonstration-for-10-days/article5868161.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> Following a directive of the Supreme Court on 8 October 2013, the Election Commission of India introduced VVPATs along with EVMs in a phased manner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgs1.aspx?filename=40874|title=Civil Appeal No.9093 of 2013|work=[[Supreme Court of India]]|access-date=10 January 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502062650/http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgs1.aspx?filename=40874|archive-date=2 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/elections-2014-sc-directive-to-ec-for-paper-trail-in-evms/article5213604.ece|title=Elections 2014: SC directive to EC for paper trail in EVMs|date=8 October 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=10 January 2019|archive-date=30 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530081148/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/elections-2014-sc-directive-to-ec-for-paper-trail-in-evms/article5213604.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, the Supreme Court further directed that a small percentage (2%) of the VVPATs to be verified to ensure the reliability before the final results were certified.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/politics/ec-announces-lok-sabha-election-dates-vvpats-to-be-used-in-all-polling-stations-help-bring-more-accuracy-in-voting-6232831.html|title=EC announces Lok Sabha election dates: VVPATs, to be used in all polling stations, help bring more accuracy in voting|date=10 March 2019|newspaper=[[Firstpost]]|access-date=2 April 2019|archive-date=2 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402174127/https://www.firstpost.com/politics/ec-announces-lok-sabha-election-dates-vvpats-to-be-used-in-all-polling-stations-help-bring-more-accuracy-in-voting-6232831.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/lok-sabha/india/evm-vvpat-pass-test-in-lok-sabha-polls/articleshow/69469579.cms|title=EVM-VVPAT pass test in Lok Sabha polls|date=23 May 2019|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|access-date=29 October 2019|archive-date=16 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616143716/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/lok-sabha/india/evm-vvpat-pass-test-in-lok-sabha-polls/articleshow/69469579.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>