Fixing India’s VVPAT-based audit of EVMs

The Election Commission of India has attracted criticism for reducing the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) based audit of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to an exercise in tokenism and for its lack of transparency in the matter.

1: Dimension-Critique of the VVPAT-based Audit of EVMs

• Tokenism vs. Transparency:The Election Commission of India (ECI) has faced criticism for its approach to the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) based audit of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), with concerns raised about its transparency and effectiveness.
• Uniform Sample Size Issue:The prescribed uniform sample size of "five EVMs per Assembly constituency" lacks adherence to statistical sampling principles, leading to significant margins of error and diminishing the audit's credibility.
• Arbitrary Demands:Critics, while pointing out flaws in the ECI's approach, have also advocated for arbitrary and non-statistical sample sizes like "25 per cent" or "50 per cent," without considering statistical viability, thereby complicating the resolution of the issue.

2: Dimension-Statistical Sampling Approach

• Quality Control Analogy:The VVPAT-based audit of EVMs mirrors a problem of statistical quality control akin to lot acceptance sampling techniques used in industry, where sample inspection determines the acceptance or rejection of an entire population.
• Defining Defects: In the electoral context, a "defective EVM" signifies any discrepancy between the EVM count and the manual count of VVPAT voter slips, necessitating a "zero defective EVM" acceptance criterion for electoral integrity.
• Decision Rule Implementation: A clear decision rule must outline the course of action in case of a discrepancy, mandating manual counting of VVPAT slips for the entire population if even a single defective EVM is detected in the sample.

3: Dimension-Challenges and Solutions

• Ambiguity in ECI's Approach: The ECI's failure to specify the population, justify the sample size, and articulate the decision rule in case of discrepancies undermines the credibility of the VVPAT-based audit and raises questions about electoral integrity.
• Statistical Viability Considerations:Utilizing the hypergeometric distribution model provides a statistically sound basis for determining sample sizes, ensuring robustness and accuracy in the audit process.
• Administrative Viability: Dividing larger states into manageable regions for sampling purposes balances statistical robustness with administrative feasibility, allowing for effective audit implementation without overwhelming resources.

Mains Practice Question

Q: "Effective oversight of electoral processes is essential for maintaining democratic integrity”. Discuss the challenges in implementing a credible VVPAT-based audit of EVMs and propose strategies to address these challenges.