Voting machine using VERILOG CODING

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Election Commission of IndiaA
State-of-the-Art, User Friendlyand Tamper
ProofElectronic Voting Machine(EVM)
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Presentation

• The Genesis
• Concept, Challenge, Solution
• Concerns
• Remedies
• EVM
• Technological Features
• Description
• Operation
• Polling, Closing, Counting Results
• Advantages
• Statistics of Interest

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Genesis - Concept

• Idea mooted by the Chief Election Commissioner in
  1977
• Pros and cons of E-voting vis-à-vis ballot paper
  analysed by High Power Committees
• Recommended E-voting to save avoidable and
  recurring expenditure on printing, storage,
  transportation and security of Ballot Paper to
  the exchequer

Top Ballot paper awaiting
despatch Bottom EVMs in store room
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Genesis - Challenge

• Evolve a machine which would fit into the
  existing Election Procedure
• Appear familiar to the voter
• Addressing the skepticism of the Political
  Parties and Intelligentsia including Press
• Evolving a machine and a procedure which would be
  transparent and acceptable to all

Top Ballot box being carried to the
polling station Bottom EVMs being carried to
the polling station
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Genesis - Solution

• Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) a
  leading Public Sector Company engaged in the
  design and manufacture of professional
  electronics was commissioned to design a machine
  to prove the feasibility
• Once feasibility was established, Bharat
  Electronics Limited (BEL) a second Public Sector
  Company was co-opted into the exercise

Voters waiting to cast their vote
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Genesis - Solution
Voting the Ballot box way

• Both the companies (ECIL BEL) brought out
  models with a common User Interface in 1980
• The machines were extensively tried out at
  locations across the country
• Publicity campaigns were run in the press and
  other media
• Seminars conducted by Election Commission of
  India in various forums
• Feedback obtained used to fine-tune the machine

Voting the EVM way
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Concerns

• How secure is the data ?
• Can the data be tampered with ?
• How does the machine operate in remote areas
  without electric power ?
• What happens if the power fails in the middle of
  the voting process ?
• Can the data be stored long enough to be used as
  evidence in a court of law in case of electoral
  disputes ?

Top EVM being demonstrated to the
press Middle EVM being demonstrated to
VIPs Bottom Address to the press on EVMs
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Remedies

• All mechanical, electrical and software security
  features are provided to ensure the integrity of
  the voting data
• It is independent of mains power and operates on
  a special power pack
• It is tamper-proof and error free
• It incorporates a microprocessor that has
  burnt-in software code which cannot be altered
  or retrieved
• All the data is recorded on non-volatile dual
  redundant memory chips and can be retained for
  over 6 months even when the power pack is removed

Counting Ballot paper way
Counting - EVM way
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EVM Technology Features

• Centres around state-of-the-art microprocessor
  with built-in PROM storing the software code
  which cannot be retrieved or altered
• Reliable, robust and error free software
• Legacy software with machine codes used to
  preserve integrity and security
• Double redundant resilient memory storage for
  securely retaining data without a need for a
  backup battery
• User friendly operation sequence
• Portable and easy to operate
• Custom made to fit into the existing pattern

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EVM Technology Features

• Provision is made on all the sub-units for
  sealing to ensure that the units are not tampered
  with
• Each EVM can cater to a maximum of 64 candidates
  with 4 Ballot Units cascaded
• The EVM can be used for conducting TWO
  simultaneous polls.
• EVMs to conduct up to FOUR or MORE
  simultaneous polls to suit the electoral systems
  of other countries are developed and
  demonstration models available

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Sub-Units of EVM
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Ballot Unit - Details
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Ballot Unit - Internal parts
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Control Unit
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Control Unit - View of Bottom Compartment
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Control Unit - Display Section
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Control Unit - Candidate Set Section
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Control Unit - Result Section
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Control Unit - Ballot Section
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Polling

• The voter is identified from the voters list and
  records his presence by a signature or thumb
  impression
• The Presiding Officer presses the Ballot button
  on the Control Unit permitting one vote
• The voter then proceeds to the polling cubicle
  and after perusing the ballot paper on the Ballot
  Unit, presses the key against the candidate of
  his choice

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Polling

• A red lamp glows indicating to the voter that his
  vote has been cast in favour of that candidate
• The casting of the vote results in a beep in the
  Control Unit indicating to the Presiding Officer
  that a vote has been cast
• He then proceeds to release another vote by
  pressing the Ballot button and the process
  continues

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Closing

• The cap on the Close Button is removed and the
  button pressed
• The cap is then replaced
• The unit is then switched Off and the
  interconnecting cable disconnected

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Counting Results

• The Power pack / Battery is checked for health by
  pressing the TOTAL Button
• After getting ready to note down the result, the
  green paper seal over RESULT-1 Button is pierced
  and RESULT-1 Button is pressed.

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Counting Results

• The RESULT-1 button is pressed to display the
  results
• The results are then noted.

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SEQUENCE OF OPERATION OF BUTTONS ELECTRONIC
VOTING MACHINE
CLEAR
RESULT-1
CAND. SET
CLOSE
BALLOT
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Advantages

• Modernises the election process
• User friendly can be used even by illiterates
• Simple to operate and can be installed in a short
  time
• Preserves voting secrecy
• No scope for invalid votes
• Facilitates quick and accurate counting
  possible to declare results instantaneously
• Re-usable by simply erasing votes recorded in
  earlier poll

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Advantages

• Huge expenditure involved in printing, storing
  and transportation and security of ballot paper
  can be avoided
• Lowers operating costs
• Easier to manage with less demand on man-power
• Provision can be made to connect to a CENTRAL
  STATION to consolidate and display / record the
  results countrywide

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Statistics of Interest

• Around one million machines deployed during Lok
  Sabha, 2004 polls
• Low failure rate
• Costs around US 300
• Estimated saving on the switchover to EVM is
  Approx US 40 million
• Political Parties and Intelligentsia who
  initially were skeptical now endorse the machine
  for its veracity

EVM being demonstrated to voters before the
recent elections held in the state of Jammu
Kashmir
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Thank You