Election Commission of India

Electronic Voting Machine EVM – ECIL 2001 Model 1

Election Commission of India

Training on Use of

Electronic Voting Machine


2

Index

• Description of EVM• Preparation of EVM by Presiding Officer• Procedure during Poll• Procedure at Close of Poll• Important tips for Presiding Officer• DOs & DON’Ts• How does the voter use it?• Can it be tampered with or rigged?


Description of EVM

Description


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Electronic Voting Machine

• EVM is a simple and reliable equipment for use in electing a candidate from among many candidates

• It is portable and easy to operate• It operates on a special power pack• It is tamper-proof and error free• The polling data once recorded is retained

even when the power pack is removed

Description


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Components of EVM

Description

Control Unit

Interconnecting Cable

Balloting Unit


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Carrying Cases

• The Control Unit and Balloting Unit are packed separately in special carrying cases

Carrying Case - Control Unit

Carrying Case - Balloting Unit

Description


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Opening of Carrying Case – Balloting UnitDetails of latches

Description

LatchesCase Closed


Opening of Carrying Case – Balloting Unit

Description

1. Pull and push upwards simultaneously to release

2. Lift to open


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Opening of Carrying Case – Balloting Unit

3. Open Case


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Opening of Carrying Case – Control UnitDetails of latches

Description

Case Closed Latches


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1. Pull and push upwards simultaneously to release

Opening of Carrying Case – Control Unit

Description

2. Lift to open


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Opening of Carrying Case – Control Unit

3. Open Case


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Balloting Unit Details

Ready LampSlide Switch Window

Candidate’s Button

Candidate’s Lamp

Ballot Paper Screen

Description


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Balloting Unit Opening of Door Connector Box

Lift to Open

Description


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Balloting Unit Rear View

Stand

Door Connector Box

Cable Clamp

Connector Box

Description


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Balloting Unit Opening of Cover

1 2

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Latch

Pull the latches Lift the cover

Description


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Balloting Unit Internal parts

Slide Switch

Candidate’s Button

Masking Tab

Description

Ready Lamp


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Balloting Unit Opening of the Ballot Paper Screen

Description

Latch Press both Latches and push Screen Open

Space to fix Ballot Paper


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Control Unit

ON Lamp Busy Lamp

Display Section Candidate Set Section

Result Section

Ballot SectionBallot Button

Total Button


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Control UnitOpening of Bottom Compartment

Press Latch to release Pull to open Cover

BottomCompartmentCover

Description


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Control UnitView of Bottom Compartment

Power Switch

Bottom Compartment Cover

Description

Connector forInterconnecting Cable

Connector for Auxiliary Unit


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Control UnitDisplay Section

ON Lamp

2-Digit Display Panel

4-DigitDisplay Panel

Busy Lamp

Description


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Control UnitCandidate Set Section

Provision forthread seal

Latch

Power packcompartment

Plug forpower pack

Candidate setbutton

Candidate set sectioninner door

Candidate set sectionouter door

Provision forThread seal

Description


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Control UnitResult Section

Close button

Provision for thread seal

Inner compartment door

Result II button

Result Ibutton

Inner latches

Frames forPaper seal

Clear button

Description


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Control Unit Ballot Section

Total buttonBallot button

Description


Preparation of EVM byPresiding Officers

Preparation by POs


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1. Check the serial numbers & Address tags on Control & Balloting Units & on their carrying cases

2. Check the seals put by Returning Officer on the Candidate Set section on Control Unit and at the right top and bottom latch covers of Balloting Unit

3. Polling party should never open the seals put by Returning Officer on Control Unit and Balloting Unit

Checking EVM Serial Numbers

Preparation by POs


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Checking Control Unit

1. Switch on the Control Unit and press `Total’ button’ to

verify that the Control Unit is set for correct number of

candidates

2. Switch off the Control Unit and pack it in its carrying case

before taking it away to polling station

Preparation by POs


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Checking Balloting Unit

1. Check the seals & address tags fixed by the R.O. at the right top and right bottom of the Balloting Unit

2. Check that the ballot paper is properly fixed

3. Check that the required candidate Buttons are unmasked (blue) and the other Buttons are masked (white)

4. Seals of Balloting Unit should not be opened by polling party at any time

Preparation by POs


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Special Officers1. One special officer for a group of 10

polling stations to monitor poll & toreplace defective units

2. Special attention to early hours of poll

3. Shall reach any polling station in his charge within 15 minutes

Before PollSpecial Arrangements

Preparation by POs


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6

Rope Partition

POLLING OFICER - 3 POLLING OFICER - 2 POLLING OFICER - 1

PRESIDING OFICER

EVM – MODEL POLLING STATION

Preparation by POs

Model Layout of Polling Station


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• Remove the Balloting Unit & Control Unit from their carrying cases

• Connect Balloting Unit to Control Unit

• Open back cover and Switch “ON” power

One hour before Commencement of Poll

Preparation by POs


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4. Open “Result” section outer door and inner door


1 2

3

Preparation by POs

4


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5. Press Clear button to show to the agents present that there are no votes polled


Preparation by POs


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6. Control Unit displays zero votes for all the candidates


1 2

3 4

Preparation by POs


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5

7

6

8

Preparation by POs


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Mock Poll

1. Conduct mock poll for the benefit of polling agents

2. Press Ballot button on Control Unit and register one vote for each candidate in Balloting Unit

Preparation by POs


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Mock Poll

3. Continue the process till one vote is polled for each candidate (Ensure that equal number of votes are polled for all candidates)

4. Close the mock poll by pressing Close button in Control Unit

Preparation by POs


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Mock Poll – Display of the Result

5. Press Result-I button and show the mock poll result

Preparation by POs

1 2 3

4 5 6


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Control Unit – Sealing for Actual Poll

Preparation by POs

1. After seeing result of mock poll, clear the machine by pressing Clear button

2. Open back cover and switch “OFF” power. Fix green paper seals in the frame on the inner side of the door of the inner compartment of the Result section

3. Close the door of the inner compartment ensuring that the two open ends of the paper seal project outwards, as shown


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10. Presiding Officer should sign below the serial number of paper seal. Candidates / agents present may be allowed to sign if they so desire.

11. Seal the inner door with the special tag

12. Close the outer door of Result section and seal it with address tag

Preparation by POs

Control Unit – Sealing for Actual Poll


42Procedure during Poll

Procedure during Poll


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Setting up the EVM in the Polling Station

1. Place the Balloting Unit in the voting compartment and the Control Unit on the table of the presiding / polling officer

2. Connect Balloting Unit to Control Unit

3. Open the bottom compartment and switch “ON” power

4. Close the bottom compartment of Control Unit

5. Press Total button to ensure that there are no votes cast before the actual poll



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During Poll Key functions of Presiding Officers

1. Each voter shall be allowed to vote only in his / her turn

2. Frequently tally votes polled with the last entry in Voters Register

3. Presiding Officer to ensure that no voter votes without signing the register & voters who have signed do not go away without voting



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Voting Procedure

• The officer in charge of Control Unit collects the voter slip and allows the voter to vote in his/her turn

• He activates the Control Unit by pressing

Ballot button and directs the voter to go to voting compartment for voting



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• Inside voting compartment, voter is to press the blue Candidate button in the Balloting Unit against the candidate of his / her choice

• There will be a beep sound heard to indicate that the vote has been cast and the Busy lamp goes off in the Control Unit

• This process is repeated for other voters till end of the poll

• Do not switch off the Control Unit during the poll

Voting Procedure



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Procedure at Close of Poll



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Procedure at Close of Poll 1. Remove the cap on Close

button and press the Close button as shown. Poll is closed.The Unit displays the total no. of candidates and the total no. of polls. Fix the cap in its place.

2. Note down the total votes recorded in Part I of Form 17C.

3. Press Total Button to verify the total at the close of the Poll.



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Procedure at Close of Poll4. Open the bottom compartment,

switch “OFF” power and disconnect Balloting Unit cable

5. Pack the Control Unit and Balloting Unit in their carrying cases

6. Seal the carrying cases and fix address tags.

7. Deposit the sealed cases safely with the Returning Officer.



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After Ballot button is activated in Control Unit, the last voter may refuse to vote

Or

After the poll was over, inadvertently Ballot button may have been pressed

Important Tips for Presiding Officers

To stop the red Busy lamp in Control Unit, switch off the power. Busy lamp will stop glowing. Then, you may switch on power and close the poll.

Issue Remedy



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• [ nP ] [ 1 ] The machine is set for single poll

• [ Cd ] [ 4 ] The machine is set for 4 candidates

• [ to ] [1087] Total No. of votes polled is 1087

• [ 04 ] [ 235 ] Candidate No. 4 has polled 235

votes/

Important Tips for Presiding OfficersMessages – Display on both Panels



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[Le ] = ‘link error’

The interconnecting cable is not connected to Control Unit properly or slide switch position in the Balloting

Unit is not set at correct number

[ Pe] = ‘pressed error’

Any of the candidates button in the Balloting Unit is either kept pressed or jammed

[ er ]= ‘memory error’

The Control Unit is not fit for use

Important Tips for Presiding OfficersError messages – Display on Left Panel



DOs & DON’Ts

DOs & DON’Ts


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DOs• Read the Manual carefully before operating

the EVM• Press the latches gently and in the manner

specified• Protect the EVM from dust, heat, rain, fire and

other such hazardous environments• Use Power pack specially supplied by the

Election Commission• Inform Election Commission and ECIL in case

of any problem

DOs & DON’Ts


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DOs• Remove Power pack from the Control Unit while

storing for longer periods• Ensure that the covers of the compartments /

Sections in the Balloting Unit and the Control Unit rest properly on the plain surface when opened

• Ensure that the Connector of the Interconnecting Cable mates properly with the connector of the Control Unit before pressing in. This will mate in one direction only

• Press the “CLEAR” button before pressing “CANDIDATE SET BUTTON”

DOs & DON’Ts

(Contd.)


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DON’Ts• DONOT

– Exert undue pressure on latches, hinges etc.– Keep EVM near heater or other hot objects– Allow molten lac/sealing wax to fall on the EVM

while sealing– Force open the covers or doors of various sections– Try to open the top portion of the Control Unit (by

unscrewing the screws)– Remove the Power pack seal unless it is required

for use

DOs & DON’Ts


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DON’Ts• DONOT

– Hit / smash the connector fixed at the end of the Interconnecting Cable against any hard surface/object

– Force the connector fixed at the end of the Interconnecting cable into the connector of Control Unit in the reverse direction

– Pull the Interconnecting cable while disconnecting it from the Control Unit without pressing the spring type clips on the hood of the connector

DOs & DON’Ts

(Contd.)


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How does the voter use it?

• The process is the same as the present method

• The voter is identified, signature obtained and ink mark put on the index finger

• Instead of being given a ballot paper at this stage a ballot is released by pressing a button on the Control Unit

• The voter then proceeds to the Balloting Unit enclosure


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How does the voter use it?

• The Balloting Unit has a conventional Ballot Paper with names and symbols of the contestants secured under a protective cover

• The voter simply presses a button against the candidate of his/her choice

• A light adjacent to the button pressed glows followed by a beep indicating the vote is recorded

(Contd.)


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Can it be tampered with or rigged?

• It is a state-of-the-art electronic instrument that cannot be tampered with

• It incorporates a microprocessor that has ‘burnt-in’ software which cannot be altered

• In case of a booth capture, the Presiding Officer can shutdown the EVM by pressing the “CLOSE” button

• No votes can be cast on that unit thereafter• On resumption of voting, another EVM must be used

to continue the poll


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Thank You

Election Commission of India

Documents

voting compartment

balloting unit control

result of mock poll

casesconnect balloting

control unitpreparation

control unitopen

inner door

mock pollconduct mock