Lok Sabha Elections: What is a VVPAT machine and how does it work?

Voter verification is only carried out in the most dire situations—for example, in response to charges of fraud or computational error.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections began in full swing as the first phase of polling was held on April 19.

The second phase of voting will be held on April 26. There will be polling in 89 Lok Sabha seats spread over 13 states during this phase. Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jammu & Kashmir are among the states holding elections on April 26.

While discussing elections, we often come across the term 'VVPAT'. But what is a VVPAT machine? Moneycontrol briefly explains the term and how it works.

What is the VVPAT?

The Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), which was first implemented during the 2014 Indian Lok Sabha elections, enables the voters to verify that their votes were cast as intended as it is connected to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

However, voter verification is only carried out in the most dire situations—for example, in response to charges of fraud or computational error.

In response to such complaints, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has the right to ask that votes be validated using VVPAT slips.

Also Read- Lok Sabha Elections: Follow these steps to register your name on Voter list

How does VVPAT work?

The voter can verify if their vote was correctly recorded on the EVM by looking at the paper slip that the VVPAT generates. The name and symbol of the party the voter chose are listed on this slip.

Further, the machine has a transparent window that allows the voter to view the printed slip. In the end, the slip is safely stored inside a sealed section of the machine, but it is still accessible if an unlikely scenario arises.