Paper ballots posed challenges such as high printing costs and the need for secure storage. Electronic voting machines were introduced to address these issues.
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Electronic Voting Machines
EVMs have been used in India for over 20 years. However, opposition parties often question their reliability. They have been deployed in five general and 130 state elections, but not in Presidential or Vice-Presidential elections. Here's why.
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Presidential elections
With EVMs, you simply press a button. But Presidential elections are different. Only Members of Parliament vote, and they do so through a system of proportional representation.
A secret ballot is used in Presidential elections. Voters indicate their preferences by writing numbers next to the candidates' names. They can mark as many preferences as there are candidates.
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Why EVMs Can't Be Used in Presidential Elections
A preference number is required for a vote to be valid. Voters can indicate additional preferences or leave some blank. A special pen is provided, and using any other pen will invalidate the vote. Votes are counted according to the preferences marked. Current EVMs do not have this capability, which is why they are not used in Presidential elections.
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CP Radhakrishnan Vs Sudarshan Reddy
The 17th Vice Presidential election is currently underway, with NDA nominating C.P. Radhakrishnan and the opposition fielding former Supreme Court Justice Sudarshan Reddy as their candidate.
