Electronic Voting Machines and Transparency in the Electoral Process: A Case Study of India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58932/MULA0066Keywords:
Electoral process, EVMs, transparency, electorate, election riggingAbstract
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are electronically advanced apparatus introduced to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and credibility of the electoral process. Their primary purpose is to ensure free, fair, and secure elections. In India, the electoral system initially based on a manual paper-ballot voting method, which was often plagued by issues such as electoral fraud, booth capturing, inefficiency, rigging, and ballot tampering. To address these challenges, India adopted EVMs as a means to bring greater transparency and accountability to its electoral process. This study aims to evaluate the role of EVMs in improving transparency and efficiency within India's electoral system. It also analyzes the responses of key stakeholders including voters, political parties, the media, the intelligentsia, and the judiciary towards the introduction and implementation of electronic voting technology. The qualitative method was used in this study. The researchers apply transparency and efficiency theory as well as system theory to highlights the critical importance of free and fair elections in a democratic setup. The study concludes that the adoption of EVMs has significantly reduced the time required for both casting and counting votes. Furthermore, it has contributed to the decline of electoral malpractices such as ballot stuffing, booth capturing, and invalid voting. Overall, EVMs have enhanced the efficiency and transparency of the Indian electoral process, reinforcing public trust in democratic institutions.
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