Article Today, New Delhi:
Elections form the backbone of democracy. Governments rise and fall on the power of the vote. Yet, doubts over electronic voting machines (EVMs) are now echoing louder than ever. Critics warn that the very tool meant to protect democracy is weakening it. U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for paper ballot Voting and the Supreme Court’s findings in India have given the debate fresh momentum.
Rising Doubts in the United States
In the United States, security concerns over EVMs are mounting. Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, cautioned that machines are vulnerable to hacking. She presented evidence to Trump, who quickly announced that America would return to paper ballots by the 2026 midterm elections. Countries such as the U.K., Australia, and Canada already rely on paper-based voting, and Gabbard argued that this system is safer and more transparent.
India’s Supreme Court Intervention
In India too, trust in EVMs has begun to erode. A striking case emerged from Haryana’s Bavuna Lakhu village. During the 2022 panchayat elections, Kuldeep Singh was declared elected as sarpanch. His rival, Mohit Singh, challenged the result in court. When the matter reached the Supreme Court, the judges ordered a fresh counting of EVM votes. The recount showed Mohit Singh as the actual winner. Declaring a new victor two years later has intensified public suspicion over the reliability of EVMs.
Musk and Indian Voices of Concern
Adding weight to the concerns, billionaire Elon Musk declared that EVMs can indeed be hacked. In India, the debate sharpened after the 2024 Andhra Pradesh elections. YSR Congress Party chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy raised objections to the functioning of EVMs. He pointed to discrepancies during the counting process and demanded that paper ballots be reinstated. He also took his concerns on alleged irregularities in Ongole to court.
Election Commission Defends the Machines
The Election Commission of India (ECI), however, insists that EVMs remain secure. It argues that the machines are standalone devices not connected to the internet, making hacking impossible. The ECI further claims that Indian EVMs are simpler and more reliable than those in many other countries. Yet, the Haryana episode and global criticism continue to challenge this confidence.
A Democracy in Question
The debate is far from over. With the U.S. preparing to reintroduce paper ballots and India’s courts uncovering EVM discrepancies, calls for reform are growing. For citizens, the question remains clear: if every vote counts, how secure is the system that counts it?
