• UGI USER
  • Feb 15, 2024
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CONCERNS OVER EVM BREAKDOWNS

Why in the News?

  • Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, documents obtained through RTI reveal Election Commission concerns over Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) breakdown rates.
  • The first-level check (FLC) is an initial technical examination conducted in the six months leading up to elections, supervised by District Election Officers.

About Break Downs:

  • During the First-Level Check (FLC), reports showed a notable breakdown rate for EVM parts, notably VVPATs and CUs.

  • Breakdown instances continued even during candidate data input close to polling dates.
  • While no official cutoff is defined, a rejection rate of up to 5% is deemed acceptable by sources.
About the Election Commission of India (ECI)

·   Established on January 25, 1950, under the Constitution, the ECI is an autonomous authority overseeing Union and State elections.

·   It administers elections for the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and offices of the President and Vice President.

·   Separate bodies manage elections for panchayats and municipalities in states.

Constitutional Provisions:

·   Part XV (Article 324-329) of the Indian Constitution governs elections, establishing the ECI.

·   Article 324 vests superintendence, direction, and control of elections in the ECI.

·   Articles 325-329 detail eligibility, adult suffrage, and powers of Parliament and state legislatures in electoral matters.