Source: IE
Context: During the Haryana Assembly elections, Congress raised concerns about EVM battery life discrepancies, questioning why some EVMs showed 99% charge after polling
About Electronic Voting Machine (EVM):
- Purpose: Portable device for conducting elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures, and local bodies, enabling electronic voting over traditional paper ballots.
- Key Features:
- Voting capacity: Records up to 2,000 votes for efficient election handling.
- Secure storage: Encrypted memory ensures confidentiality of votes.
- Backup power: Alkaline batteries enable use in remote areas without electricity.
- Multilingual options: Supports multiple languages for voter accessibility.
- Audit trail (VVPAT): Voters can verify their votes with a paper trail for audit purposes.
- Development: Designed by the Election Commission’s Technical Experts Committee, manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), both Indian PSUs.
About EVM batteries:
- Battery type: EVMs and VVPATs use non-rechargeable alkaline batteries chosen for reliability and a five-year shelf life.
- Voltage display: The 99% indicator reflects a voltage range (8.2V to 7.4V) rather than exact charge. Actual percentage only appears below 7.4V.
- Choice rationale: Alkaline batteries were selected for their stable performance in extreme temperatures and gradual power decline, ensuring uninterrupted function.
- Power use: EVMs consume minimal power, remaining disconnected from networks, unlike mobile phones, which ensures battery longevity.
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