Budget 2022: Law Ministry gets Rs 1,525 crore for new EVMs

New Delhi, Feb 1: The Law Ministry has received Rs 1,525 crore in the Union Budget 2022-23 to provide funds to the Election Commission for the purchase of new electronic voting machines and the destruction of obsolete voting machines.

A sum of Rs 1,525 crore is announced for providing funds to Election Commission for procurement of ballot units, control units and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trial Units (or paper trail machines) and ancillary expenditure on electronic voting machines and destruction of obsolete voting machines.

One control unit and at least one ballot unit make for one EVM.

The Centre has also announced funds for Lok Sabha polls and photo identity cards for voters. Legislative Department in the Union law ministry is the nodal agency to deal with issues related to Election Commission and electoral laws.

Old EVMs are destroyed under the watch of an expert panel by following a stringent protocol. An EVM has an average life of 15 years. Under the Organs of Election head, a total of Rs 292 crore has been allocated, including Rs 180 crore for Lok Sabha elections and Rs 18 crore for election photo identity cards.

The provision for Lok Sabha elections is for meeting "carry forward liability" in respect of charges for conduct of parliamentary polls. The last Lok Sabha elections were held in 2019. The provision for identity cards for voters is for reimbursement of central government's share to states and UTs on issuance of photo-identity cards to the voters, PTI reported.