- P1: Electronic Voting Machine (EVM): Basics
- P2: Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT)
- P3: EVM Totalizer to prevent Voter Victimization?
- CSAT Sample MCQs
- Correct answers for MCQs
P1: Electronic Voting Machine (EVM): Basics
EVM is madeup of two units
- Control unit (CU)
- with the presiding officer.
- It’s memory lasts for ten years (even without constant electricity supply).
- It’s chip as date-time stamping facility to find out when exactly the keys were pressed.
- Additional unit that can be attached with CU
- Auxiliary display unit (ADU): to view the data, if the original display panel of Control Unit gets damaged.
- EVM totalizer: can be attached to upto 14 Control units
- Balloting unit (BU)
- one unit has 16 buttons, maximum 4 units can be joined
- means 16 x 4 =64 candidates.
- if >64 candidates then paper ballot system has to be used.
- Additionally, we can attached a VVPAT unit with BU

Components of an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)
EVM: Other features
- If one unit malfunctions, no need to re-start polling again. You can join a spare EVM & resume public from the queue.
- Programming code is “Burnt” into the microprocessor chip (P-ROM). This fused program cannot be overwritten, altered or copied.
- It has no networking connectivity, so hacking via LAN/wifi is impossible. [American EVM can be controled through network & remote control.].
- EVM randomization: noone knows the serial number of EVMs in advance, before they’re shipped to the booth.
- Invalid votes impossible because you cannot give vote to more than one candidate for given election. (in paper-ballot some idiots would put stamp on multiple candidates = invalid votes.)
- Same EVM can be simultaneously used for both LokSabha + Vidhansabha elections. (in such case, you’ll have to press vote button for two names. and there will be two “NOTA” buttons as well. Observe following photo)

Yes, same EVM can be used simultaneously for two elections!
EVM makes Booth capturing difficult because
- EVM can record maximum five votes per minute. So the Goonda-gang will need 30 minutes to put 150 votes, but within that time, Police party will come.
- Booth officials can press “Close” button on control unit, then EVM will not accept any data. Goonda-gang cannot register any bogus votes.
- If circuit/memory re-wired, unit will stop functioning.
Limitations |
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Energy supply |
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Manufacturer |
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First usage |
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Blind voters have three options:
- Cast vote with help of companion (applies to all physical disabled- their companion can come all the way to voting box)
- Balloting unit itself has stickers in Braille language. (done in Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala etc.)
- Presiding Officer gives Braille encoded dummy ballot paper to blind voter. Voter finds the serial number of his preferred candidates. Then goes to hut, presses button on EVM
P2: Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT)
- When voter presses EVM button, printer generates a paper slip
- This paper slip contains
- serial number of voter
- name and symbol of the candidate for whom the vote has been cast.
- paper slip will remain visible to the voter for seven seconds, through a glass-covered window.
- Then it’ll automatically fall in a sealed box.
- Later EC can use these slips for crosschecking / physical verification of votes during recounting.
but why do we need it?
- Some parties allege that EVM machines can be manipulated.
- VVPAT is developed to clear an air over authenticity of the EVMs (Electronic Voting Machine).
- Helps physical verification /crosschecking votes.
- Will help to resolve the election disputes.
Timeline
- 2013: SC ordered EC to introduce VVPAT in phased manner in 2014 general election.
- 2013, Sep: VVPAT first tried in Noksen constituency in Nagaland
P3: EVM Totalizar: Form 20 vs Voter confidentiality
Form No. | Provision | under Rule# |
---|---|---|
17(A) |
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49-O |
20 |
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56/C/2/C |

How does Form-20 compromise Voter confidentiality?
- Form 20 is given to the polling agents of candidates.
- Form 20 also uploaded on the official EC-sites of given state. (in this case, ceo.gujarat.gov.in)
- Banej polling booth, Gir forest (Junagadh constituency)= only single voter Mahant Bharatdas Darshandas.
- It is obvious Mahant voted for BJP. Form 20 has exposed his secret vote.
- Now, Congressi-karyakartaa may vandalize Mahant’s house, property and may even break his expensive sun-glasses to take revenge.
- In other words, if a single person votes in EVM then his secrecy will be compromised because of form-20.
- In the same photo, observe that Sr.No.2 Biliyat village didn’t give a single vote to Congressi candidate Punjabhai Bhimabhai Vansh.
- So, it is possible to find out which polling station/village/hamlet was in favor of which candidate.
- Then politicians/ goons / feudal lords might harass the villagers accordingly.
- in short, Form20 + EVM=> post electoral voter victimization possible.
In paper-ballot system, this was difficult. Because during counting, the officials will randomly mix the ballot papers to conceal the voting preference of individual polling stations.
But how can EVM Totalizer help?
- EVM Totalizer can count votes of multiple Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) simultaneously.
- That way EC official will only record total votes in all EVMs, and not individual EVM from each polling booth
- EVM Totalizer’s prototype ready. EC even tested it in UP bypoll (2009).
- Manufacturers:
- Bharat Electronic ltd
- Electronics corporation of India
- EVM totalizer is connected to EVMs via cable. Can do sum of all votes from 14 EVM simultaneously.
Why EVM Totalizer not implemented?
- To use EVM totalizer, we need to change format of Form-20
- but Form-20 format designed as per Rule 56/C/2/C of “Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961”
- but “Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961” designed as per Representation of People Act (RPA) 1951”.
- Therefore, to adopt nationwide EVM totalizer system, we need to amend RPA Act.
CSAT Sample MCQs
Q1. Consider following statements about EVM
- To discourage booth capturing, the EVMs are designed in such way that one EVM can record only 1 vote per two minutes.
- When you press blue button, your vote is stored at two places- one in the balloting unit and second backup in the control unit.
- EVM control unit needs constant electricity supply from a built in battery otherwise its memory will be wiped out.
The correct statements are:
- Only 1 and 2
- Only 2 and 3
- Only 1 and 3
- None of them
Q2. Which of the following is/are incorrect methods of assembling an EVM?
- Attach VVPAT attached to control unit
- Attach auxiliary display unit to control unit
- Attach EVM totalizer to balloting units
Answer choices
- Only 1 and 2
- Only 2 and 3
- Only 1 and 3
- all of them
Q3. Which of the following are essential components of an EVM, without which process of voting and counting is impossible?
- Balloting unit
- VVPAT
- Control unit
- EVM totalizer
- Auxiliary display unit
Correct choices are
- only 1, 2 and 3
- only 1 and 3
- only 1, 3 and 5
- only 1, 2, 3 and 4
- all of them
Q4. Consider following statements about EVM
- In emergency, EVMs can be run on the lead-battery used in sarkaari-jeeps.
- EVMs can record a maximum of 6400 votes.
- Single Balloting unit can cater to a maximum of 64 candidates.
Correct statements are
- Only 1 and 2
- Only 2 and 3
- Only 1 and 3
- None of them
Q5. What is the use of form 20 in the elections?
- earlier, to use NOTA, you had to fillup this form
- Police and defense personnel use this form to cast postal ballot
- To file nomination, the candidate has to fillup his income, assets, criminal cases etc. as per the format given in this form.
- EC will show polling station wise result according to this form.
Q6. Following are imaginary headlines in a newspaper. Which one of them will get the CEC nervous?
- A Banglore techie-blogger claims he can overwrite the code in EVM circuit via wifi to make it record 6000 votes in a minute.
- Sadhu Yadav asked 70 of his goons to file nominations along with him in the same Constituency. IB report says he also has plans for booth capturing.
- Sadhu Yadav has hired the techie mentioned in option A, and is planning for booth “hacking” through OB van of a media channel.
- None of the above.
Correct answers for MCQs
- D none of them correct
- C 1 and 3 are wrong connections
- Only 1 and 3- balloting unit and control unit without them voting impossible. Even if other instruments are absent, still you can conduct elections and count votes.
- D none of them
- D- polling station wise result
- B- more than 64 candidates = paper balloting. And booth capturing is easier in paper ballot system compared to EVM, hence it should give highest stress to CEC. Option A and C are junk because EVM cannot be hacked via wifi to record more than 3840 votes irrespective of what Banglore techie brags.
Mains and Interview Questions
- Mains: What is EVM totalizer? How can it prevent the post-electoral voter victimization? 200 words.
- Interview: First VVPAT and now the columnists are demanding EVM totalizer. Can’t we simply do addition via EXCEL spreadsheet? What’s the need of one more stupid machine?
Sir I’m preparing for upsc capf I dont know which institute I should join plz help me sir
Paras there is absolutely no need for coaching to clear CAPF exam. just read and revise the routine books & current affairs.
sir
i am preparing for rbi grade-b exam ,your links regarding the downloading of books or phase -2 is not working ,neither egyan kosh site ,so sir please help me regarding these books of ignou
shekhar all the NCERT and IGNOU material available on Mrunal.org/download
Sir I’m new to competitive exam in upsc I dont even know which books has to be followed…….. you mentioned about routine books can you plz tel me what are they??
Sir I’m preparing for upsc capf I dont know which institute I should join plz help me sir
And I find this blog very useful to me but I’m confused how to prepare in a systematic way
Is there any such type of blog which will help me…??
Mrunal ji,
Mera aukad hota to aapko PM bana deta. Agle baar pukka try karenge :D #Mrunal4PM
Please clear my doubt who was the first deputy chairman of planning commission, gulzarilal nanda or vt krishnamachari?
plz ye bata do k lower uppcs ka result a gaya ha k nhi
hey, which book to refer for questions like tribhanga quetion asked in 2013 prelims?
Dear Paul,no book need to answer them,UPSC is giving them culture and heritage genre of syllabus every year.In 2012 also “Buddha’s mudra” question was given,we can answer them without reading anything by simply study the question and options thrice,because answer will be inside the question itself,but to combat UPSC’s back breaking moves(according to Mrunal sir’s word) we should study “Heritage and culture of India”.
oks… is it name of a book…. ammm… which publication? anyway thanks in advance!
mrubal bhai even u have done one mistake …..coast guard is not a paramilitary force … it comes under ministry of defence……it enjoys the same facility as navy ……….
rakesh & others
March 2011 Business standard (click me)has explained the official definition of Government of India, for paramilitary forces as those headed by a military officer. There are three such units: coast guard, SSB and Assam rifles.
If anything has updated after this in the definition of paramilitary force, then give me the link and I’ll make corrections accordingly.
coastguard is not a paramlitary force……. it comes under ministry of defence…
hi mrunal,
please reply to this query.
1st of all, awesome article as usual.
from where you get so much of information.????
if you can give the reference link of the sources of your article than we also will be able to go thru this b4 hand.
and if possible,, i knw u r vry busy, but if possible can you be more frequent in writing these articles. cause when the topic is hot than it is more benificial as compare to whn topic is dead…
looking forward to ur response…
abhinav – all these topics are from Hindu, Indianexpress, frontline, PIB and EPW of the given week, further research done from google (minus wikipedia)
Please explain “minus Wikipedia”??? Is it not authentic (we can cross check with references given below the articles in Wikipedia.)??????????
rahul UPSC MCQs setby sarkaari college professors & HoDs who have typical dislike towards wikipedia. Often, their questions contain phrases directly lifted from academic books, prominent newspapers, magazines & Committee reports. It’s the same reason I avoid wikipedia while preparing answerkeys for CSAT, CDS and CAPF.
Dear mrunal sir,I have applied for CSE-2014,but i have chosen “English” as medium of instruction for GS(I-IV) papers,now i am thinking that writing them in Telugu will be somewhat beneficial to me(I can translate and then write).is there any provision to correct it in DAF,please answer my query,thank you@
Thanks for the article sir ,
In the third question i think the answer is 1 and 3 Balloting unit and control unit
but you show the answer is 1 and 2 which is acc to option ” Balloting unit and VVPAT”
i think vvpat is not necessary for conducting election , but if i am wrong please correct me .
hi friends plz tell me cpf sc category ki last year cut off kitni gyi h plz tell me
iam looking for a pg in and around radjinder nagar,delhi on twin sharing.budget 6k.if any vacancy please mailto:mohanp062@gmail.com.sorry for asking here
sir ,ignou is not been for many days…
bcoz ignou material for world history,history,environment and even for RBI exam was a good source
sir can we get hard copy material from ignou…sir help us
Mrunal sir , why don’t u create an app in play store.. It would be easy to remain in touch..
Thanks
*Sir,
Please re-confirm ,a year back Indian coast guard was included in Defense forces, there role was revisited after the 2008 Mumbai attacks. They do not come under Paramilitary forces anymore.
correction in Q3: option B should be read as “only 1 and 3”.
Dear mrunal please answer my question,I have applied for CSE-2014,but i have chosen “English” as medium of instruction for GS(I-IV) papers,now i am thinking that writing them in Telugu will be somewhat beneficial to me(I can translate and then write).is there any provision to correct it in DAF???,I am getting tension for my mistake@@@
no now you can not make any change it is final if you could have applied again before last date then it must have solved now choice are final
http://bsf.nic.in/en/introduction.html
This is official site of BSF saying it is a paramilitary force
“he Border Security Force (BSF) is a Border Guarding Force of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is a paramilitary force charged with guarding India’s land border during peace time and preventing transnational crime. It is a Union Government Agency under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs.It is one of many law enforcement agency of India.It currently stands as the world’s largest border guarding force.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_Security_Force
wikipedia agrees with u
Mrunal Sir, recently there is an controversy regarding the removal of name subramanium from the name of the judges list without any consultation of chief justice of india. So is it justified?
Suggest me Mrunal Sir…..
justified to what ? to law or customs or morality ?
Ruchi gupta jee, Supreme court ‘collegium’ will be the penal authority in selection of Judges of Supreme court.Here What executive did is ethically seemed to be wrong,and R.M.Lodha alleged that the decision was taken when he was abroad,and Modi govt. would have consulted him before the decision of “driving away gopal subramanian”,in fact the collegium is itself a closed procedure,that’s why Law commissionin its 214th Report on ‘Proposal for Reconsideration of Judges cases I, II and III’ recommended two solutions:
· To seek a reconsideration of the three judgments before the Supreme Court.
· A law to restore the primacy of the Chief Justice of India and the power of the executive to make appointments.
so according to this legally there is nothing wrong with this issue,and union executive is not intervening in the judiciary and there is nothing like “Independence of judiciary compromised”,according to Bjp leader subramanian swamy this “Gopal subramaniyan” is a man of personal character but lacks national character@@@
Hi Santosh ji,
Thanks for uor reply. So as according to you law commission give importance to the decision of the chief justice of india. Can you briefly explain me What is collegium?
Hi ruchi , ther is collegium consist of searching committe nd collegium committe . U go to previos articles of mrunal sir around of march months current section u will get excellent explanation
Searching nd selection committe nt collegium
Sorry it is for lokpal…
Ther is 120 constitution amendment bill regardimg JUDICIARY APPOINTMENT COMMISSION refer it in detail ruchi
Hi Vrushali,
Thanks for the reply. Yes, already I have read mrunal sir article. But my question is judicial appointment bill has been lapsed or not or the procedure for the selection of judeges has been changed or not.
plz reply.
Mrunal Sir Pl clear the doubt.
Definatly it pass in parliament
Hi vrushali kya aap mujhe apna study time table bata sakte ho how u covering syllabus
kya aap mujhe apna study time table bata sakte ho how u covering syllabus
Sir you mentioned about routine books can you tell me what are the books that I have to follow because im new to this competitive exam of capf
Fantastic compilation thnku so much. .
Sir, i do not know if it should be put but thought it would be better if link for OFCDs was also put in. so putting it. https://mrunalmanage.wpcomstaging.com/2013/01/economy-sebi-sahara-ofcd-case-optionally-fully-convertible-debentures-meaning-explained.html#155
hi mrunal,
please clarify, whether the coast guard is paramilitary or armed force?
Coast Guard is a paramilitary force dude. It is not under Central armed Police forces. & Armed forces is different from CAPF. Indian Army, Indian Air force & Indian Navy comes under armed forces.
but according to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Armed_Forces coast guard is included as 4th armed force…under armed forces of india alon with army,navy and airforce.
The Coast Guard in its present shape was formally inaugurated on 18 Aug 1978 as an independent armed force of the union with the enactment of the Coast Guard Act 1978 by the Parliament
You can find this in history section of coast guard website:
http://www.indiancoastguard.nic.in/
sir well i m so much thankful to you .. my mind remained in chaos from last 4 years. i prepared for UPSC haphazard minded. i was in depression. but after study your web site notes from all field i found my self better then other candidate as I first time qualify for interview (IN 3RD ATTEMPT) but cant get rank in final round but i m looking forward with next attempt
now my preparation 100 times better then before . u r just like a angle for me
THANK YOU A LOT SIR (NEVER FORGOT YOUR EFFORT IN MY LIFE )
Can anybody please suggest books/study material for environment for prelims?
Only read ncert
Which class? Geography?
SIR HOW CAN I DOWNLOAD ADMIT CARD FOR SSC CGL 2013 RE EXAM IM FORM UTTRAKHAND
by which material squash court is made of ??
hello to everyone,
i m very depressed and shattered,i fell short of 1 percent from getting 60 percent in degree.
i m feeling very bad and is depressed now. i have applied for cse 2014 and cant focus in my preparation. i want some motivation from all aspirant and veterans. pls help me. pls…