Electronic Voting Machines is the full form of EVM, which have gained widespread acceptance as a replacement for the traditional ballot system. In a democracy, it is considered a fundamental right of every citizen to exercise his right to vote.
Understand the full form of EVM in English and learn how these units emerged as a faster way to count and register your votes. Considering the enormous size of the population in India, it is safe to say that EVMs are the best thing to avoid any malpractice during elections.
Origin of EVM
The first ever mechanical voting machine was patented in an election in New York in 1889. Over the years, the system gained widespread acceptance and the acronym EVM made more sense to people. It gained ground and was further modified.
Automatic punch cards with holes were introduced in California elections in 1965. It was a modern and faster communication system that easily registered a voter's name. The EVM machine has replaced the traditional ballot paper models in most of India and its popularity is proof of that.
Design of EVM
EVMs are designed in total secrecy by only a few engineers. Currently, only Bharat Electronics Limited and Electronics Corporation of India Limited can manufacture EVMs in India. Electronic Voting Machines (EVM full form in English) are designed using dual control units that are connected by a 5 meter long cable. The device is designed to lock itself whenever a voter presses a switch next to a candidate's name.
The front of the machine is made up of the names of the competing candidates with their party symbols. Each side is assigned one colored button with numbers. The numbers are listed and voters can exercise their right to vote at the touch of a button. Although the acronym EVM is popular among voters, most of them do not know the full form.
The EVM runs on a normal battery and registers a maximum of 2000 votes. In case the EVM stops working, the votes are safely stored in the chip. Changing a roll of paper in polling stations is prohibited.
Few benefits of EVM
- These are some of the benefits of using EVMs:
- This machine greatly reduces the possibility of fake votes.
- The use of EVMs leads to a reduction in paper wastage.
- EVM machines are easy to assemble and disassemble. This allows for more convenient transportation and saves costs.
- The machines run on batteries so they can be used in areas without electricity.