EVMs: Are they tamper-proof?

So, results of the elections to the State Legislative Assembly of five states have been announced. With BJP gaining a landslide victory in the Uttar Pradesh elections in particular, opposition has raised an allegation of  tampering in the EVMs i.e. the Electronic Voting Machine. 

Source: http://www.afternoondc.in

Election Commission of India (ECI) has brushed aside these allegations saying that EVMs are perfectly tamper proof and no concrete way has been demonstrated to tamper it. So, let's look into the arguments of EC and determine whether the allegations are correct or not?

Background: So, EVMs were introduced way back in 1982 in the Kerala assembly elections by amending the Representation of People's Act 1951, since the act allowed for paper ballot voting. These are manufactured by BEL and ECIL.

Allegations had surfaced during the 2017 BMC elections, 2014 General Elections, 2010 Gujarat civic polls and others.

So, how exactly can these machines be tampered according to the allegations?

• First, there have been allegations that BEL and ECIL outsource the manufacturing of the chips used in the EVMs to a foreign firm. There can be a possibility of rigging by the foreign firm.
• Second, Change in the source code of the chip.
• Third, Control by external device.
• Four: Change in the device post election.

Tampering, really? Above allegations may be proved wrong by the following logic:

• The first possibility of tampering with the chip by the foreign firm (listed above) can be detected in the mock poll itself. So, this eliminates the first allegation.
• The Election Commission says that the EVM has been so designed that change in the source code of the chip is not possible. What's written in there once cannot be rewritten until it is burnt.
• The third argument of control by external device also doesn't seem to be a plausible point as EVM is not connected to the internet.
• There have been allegations since long about the transparency of voting through the EVMs and so in 2009 the ECI called those who have been alleging the tamperability of the EVMs and the ECI ordered 100 EVMs from different states randomly. Result: None was able to tamper the EVM.

The Election Commission has the reputation of holding up the ideals of democracy i.e., free and fair elections and given the number of checks performed before the elections and the safe storage of EVMs after the elections, prima facie the elections doesn't seem to have been rigged. But with the growing demand for checking of EVMs, the EC can again stand upto its reputation by conducting tests and coming out clean.

Further, the orders by the Honorable Supreme Court to the Election Commission to implement the VVPAT system in the general elections of 2019 will be a step towards enhancement of transparency of elections.

Next Post: VVPAT system.

[UPDATE]: The photo provided below will help you understand the way EVM works and how alleged tampering may be done.

Source: Times of India