Lok Sabha Question No. 1911 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-03
Subject: Electronic Voting Machine
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Manish Tewari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1911

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 03 RD  JULY 2019

## ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINE

1911. SHRI MANISH TIWARI:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

(a)  the  total  number  of  Electronic  Voting  Machines  (EVMs)  with  the Election Commission of India; (b) the number of EVMs used during the recent General Elections of 2019 and Assembly Elections held simultaneously across the country; (c)  the  details  of  the  physical  locations  where  the  balance  EVMs  were stored along with the details of physical custodian of those machines and

- the organisations/units entrusted with the safety and security of the EVMs;
- (d)  the  details  of  the  location  where  EVMs  are  stored  during  the  nonelection  season  along  with  the  details  of  those  who  are  responsible  for their physical security and their upkeep; and
- (e)  whether  the  Election  Commission  conducts  a  physical  audit  of  each and  every  machine  before  they  are  deployed  in  any  election  and  certify that they have not been tampered with or rigged in any manner whatsoever and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a)  and  (b)  :  The  Election  Commission  of  India  (ECI)  has  informed  that 23.3  Lakh  Ballot  Units  (BUs),  16.35  Lakh  Control  Units  (CUs)  and  17.4 Lakh Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPAT) Units are available with them  including  those  blocked  in  Election  Petitions.  These  EVMS  and VVPAT  Units  were  allocated  to  States/UTs  for  use  in  elections  which include those used for training, awareness, national reserve stock and poll day reserve. However, in poll for General Elections-2019 following quantities of EVMs and VVPATS were used:
- (c)  and  (d)  :  The  ECI  has  informed  that  EVMs  are  stored  in  EVM warehouses at District Headquarters. However, if it is not possible to store the  EVMs at  District  HQs,  then  in  warehouses  at  a  place  not  below  the Tehsil headquarters. The District Election Officers (DEO) are responsible for their physical security and their upkeep.

|   S.N. | Units         |   Quantity (in Lakh) |
|--------|---------------|----------------------|
|      1 | Ballot Units  |                14.88 |
|      2 | Control Units |                11.3  |
|      3 | VVPAT         |                11.59 |

Armed police security is provided 24X7 at all  such  EVM/VVPAT warehouses  in  each  district,  throughout  the  election,  as  well  as,  nonelection period.

- (e):  The  Commission has informed that before every election, First Level Checking  of  every  EVM  and  VVPAT  is  conducted  by  the  authorised engineers  of  M/s  Bharat  Electronics  Limited  (BEL)  and  M/s  Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), in the presence of the representatives of National and State Recognised Political Parties. The engineers of these manufacturers certify that all the components of the machines are original.

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