Topic Of The Day:-“Checks And Balance: On Evms”
Seeking a count of 50% of VVPAT slips is too much; the focus should be on ending glitches.
In a significant and welcome change from their earlier demand for a return to paper ballots, representatives of a large section of the mainstream Opposition parties met the Election Commission (ECI) to demand changes to the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail counting process during the general elections. Returning to paper ballots will be regressive. The Electronic Voting Machine process, despite the plethora of grievances about its functioning from the Opposition parties, is a major improvement over paper-based voting. There has been no evidence of EVM-tampering as claimed by some parties, and administrative and technical safeguards instituted by the ECI and EVM manufacturers have held steady since the introduction of the EVM. Despite this, the ECI had fast-tracked the implementation of the VVPAT, an adjunct to the EVM that allows for a paper trail for voting and later verification of the electronically registered mandate in the ballot unit of the EVM. VVPATs are now deployed in all Assembly and parliamentary elections with EVMs. This implementation has not been without some misgivings. The Opposition’s demand for a count of 50% of the VVPAT slips, as opposed to the current system of counting VVPAT slips in one randomly selected booth of each constituency, is aimed at ensuring that EVMs have not been tampered with. ECI safeguards are robust enough to prevent this, but VVPAT recounts could eliminate any remaining doubt about possible “insider fraud” by errantofficials or manufacturers.While the demand to count half of all the slips is an over-reaction, as a scientifically and randomly chosen sample of booths is a reasonable enough verification for the process, there remains the question whether counting one booth per constituency is a statistically significant sample to rule out errors. A more robust sampling technique that factors in the average size of the electorate in any constituency for each State and voter turnout, involving the counting of more than a single booth in some States, may be a better method. The ECI’s response that it is waiting for a report on this from the Indian Statistical Institute should be encouraging. The other issue with the VVPAT is more significant: machine glitches. During the parliamentary by-elections in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and Assembly elections in Karnataka in 2018, VVPAT glitches resulted in machine replacement rates rising to 20% and 4%, respectively. Glitches in the VVPAT machines were largely due to spooling issues in the print unit, which was sensitive to extreme weather. Some hardware-related changes were introduced, which improved its functioning in the recent elections in five States. Machine replacement rates due to VVPAT failures came down to 1.89% for Chhattisgarh. Deployment of improved machines should help curb glitches in the Lok Sabha elections.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) regressive
Meaning : returning to a former or less developed state; characterized by regression(adj).
Synonyms : rigid
Antonyms : liberal
Example : “regressive aspects of recent local government reform”
2) despite
Meaning : contemptuous treatment or behaviour; outrage(n).
Synonyms : although
Antonyms : core
Example : “the despite done by him to the holy relics”
3) tampering
Meaning : interfere with (something) in order to cause damage or make unauthorized alterations.
Synonyms : meddle
Antonyms : improve
Example : “someone tampered with the brakes of my car”
4) claimed
Meaning : state or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence or proof.
Synonyms : assert
Antonyms : abandon
Example : “the Prime Minister claimed that he was concerned about Third World debt”
5) adjunct
Meaning : a thing added to something else as a supplementary rather than an essential part(n).
Synonyms : appendage
Antonyms : foe
Example : “computer technology is an adjunct to learning”
6) mandate
Meaning : an official order or commission to do something(n).
Synonyms : decree
Antonyms : breach
Example : “a mandate to seek the release of political prisoners”
7) deployed
Meaning : move (troops or equipment) into position for military action(v).
Synonyms : expand
Antonyms : conclude
Example : “forces were deployed at strategic locations”
8) implementation
Meaning : the process of putting a decision or plan into effect; execution.
Synonyms : discharge
Antonyms : dissatisfaction
Example : “she was responsible for the implementation of the plan”
9) tampered
Meaning : interfere with (something) in order to cause damage or make unauthorized alterations(v).
Synonyms : tinker
Antonyms : improve
Example : “someone tampered with the brakes of my car”
10) eliminate
Meaning : completely remove or get rid of (something)(v).
Synonyms : defeat
Antonyms : allow
Example : “a policy that would eliminate inflation”
11) errant
Meaning : erring or straying from the accepted course or standards(adj).
Synonyms : aberrant
Antonyms : normal
Example :”an errant husband coming back from a night on the tiles”
12) robust
Meaning : strong and healthy; vigorous(adj).
Synonyms : hefty
Antonyms : fragile
Example : “the Caplan family are a robust lot”
13) glitches
Meaning : a sudden, usually temporary malfunction or fault of equipment(n).
Synonyms : defect
Antonyms : advantage
Example : “a draft version was lost in a computer glitch”
14) spooling
Meaning : wind (magnetic tape, thread, etc.) on to a spool(v).
Synonyms : spindle
Example :”he was trying to spool his tapes back into the cassettes with a pencil eraser”
15) Deployment
Meaning : the movement of troops or equipment to a place or position for military action(n).
Synonyms : formation
Example : “the authorities announced deployment of extra security forces in towns and cities to prevent violence”
16) rival
Meaning : a person or thing competing with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field of activity(n).
Synonyms : competing
Antonyms : assisting
Example : “he has no serious rival for the job”
17) regime
Meaning : a government, especially an authoritarian one(n).
Synonyms : reign
Example : “ideological opponents of the regime”
18) allegiance
Meaning : loyalty or commitment to a superior or to a group or cause(n).
Synonyms : dedication
Antonyms : apathy
Example : “those wishing to receive citizenship must swear allegiance to the republic”
19) preventing
Meaning : keep (something) from happening(v).
Synonyms : avoid
Antonyms : allow
Example : “action must be taken to prevent further accidents”
20) curb
Meaning : a check or restraint on something(n).
Synonyms : restrain
Antonyms : encourage
Example : “plans to introduce tougher curbs on insider dealing”
