Election FAQ: What is the VVPAT?

Always accompanying the EVM during an election, is a small box with a window which shows you which party you have voted for. That box is called a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT for short).

What is the VVPAT? How does it work? Here's a handy guide on everything VVPAT:

What is VVPAT?

Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) is an independent system attached with the Electronic Voting Machines that allows the voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended.

When a vote is cast, a slip is printed containing the serial number, name and symbol of the candidate and remains visible through a transparent window for 7 seconds. Thereafter, this printed slip automatically gets cut and falls in a sealed box in the VVPAT.

Who loads the details of candidates and symbols allotted to contesting candidates in the VVPAT?

Serial numbers, names of candidates and symbols allotted to them are loaded in the VVPAT unit with the help of engineers of the manufacturer.

Read: Election FAQ: What is the Electronic Voting Machine

Election FAQ: The Model Code of Conduct

Election FAQ: How to check your name on voter list

Election FAQ: How to cast vote without voter ID

Does VVPAT need electricity?

No, just like the EVM, VVPAT runs on a battery.

Is a test printout of the serial numbers, names of candidates and symbols loaded in VVPAT required?

Yes. A test printout of the serial numbers, names of candidates and symbols loaded in VVPAT is required to check with the ballot paper placed on Ballot Unit. Thereafter, one vote to each candidate will be given to check that the VVPAT is printing the paper slips correctly for all the candidates.

Is it mandatory to count the printing paper slips of VVPAT on counting day?

Counting of printed paper slips of VVPAT is done only in the following cases:

Mandatory verification of printed VVPAT paper slips of 1 randomly selected polling station of (a) Assembly Constituency in case of election to State Legislative Assembly and (b) each Assembly Segment in case of election to the House of the People.

In case of no display of result from the Control Unit, the printed paper slips of the respective VVPAT is counted.

If any candidate, or in his absence, his election agent or any of his counting agents make a written request to count the printed paper slips of the VVPAT in respect of any polling station, the Returning Officer taking into consideration various factors decides and issue written orders, whether to count or not to count the printed paper slips of the VVPAT of that particular polling station(s).

Source: ECI website