The Indian Experiment with Electronic Voting Machines*

Details

Case Code : CLCB055
Publication date : 2005
Subject : Consumer Behavior
Industry : -
Length : 05 Pages
Price : Rs. 100

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Key words:

Election Commission of India, Electronic Voting Machine, Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL), Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Election Commission of India, Indian General Elections, Representation of People Act, Chief Election Commissioner of India, Diebold Election Systems and Election Systems & Software Inc

Note

* This caselet is intended for use only in class discussions.
** More comprehensive case studies are priced at Rs.200 to Rs.700 (US $5 to US $16) per copy.

 

Abstract:

The caselet explains how Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Government of India undertakings, developed Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for use in the Indian elections. How these machines increased the efficiency of the Indian electoral process and how the general public accepted these innovative machines are also dealt with. A comparative study is made of the Indian EVMs and the voting machines used in USA.

Issues: » How EVMs increased the efficiency of election process in India » How the general public in India accepted the EVMs » The advantages of Indian EVMs over voting machines used in USA The Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) which were used in the Indian General Elections of 2004 caught the attention of many observers throughout the world. These EVMs were developed by the Government of India (GoI) owned defense equipment manufacturing units, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), according to the specifications provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI) .

The foundation for the use of the EVMs for elections in India was laid with the amendment in 1989 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to enable the recording of votes using EVMs as prescribed by the ECI...

Questions for Discussion:

1. What are the attributes which enabled the electronic voting machines to be used on a large scale in the elections of India?

2. What are the basic differences between the electronic voting machines used in India and the machines used in the US? What are the factors that may have influenced the basic differences in the design of these two machines?