Karnataka Elections 2018: All you need to know about M3 EVMs

For the first time in India, the M3 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would be used in the country in the Karnataka Assembly elections. Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer, Sanjiv Kumar said that the M3 or third generation EVMs would be used for the first time at 7 constituencies in Karnataka. He also said that these machines can keep data of 384 candidates. The data of 64 candidates can be accessed at a single point of time, he also added.

Can ECI-EVMs be Physically Tampered with/ their components be changed without anyone noticing?

The new M3 EVM produced after 2013 have additional features like Tamper Detection and Self Diagnostics. The tamper detection feature makes an EVM inoperative the moment anyone tries to open the machine. The Self diagnostic feature checks the EVM fully every time it is switched on. Any change in its hardware or software will be detected. About Rs. 2,000 crores had been released by the Government to procure M3 EVMs with above additional features and new technological advancements.

What are the latest technological features to make ECI-EVMs tamper proof?

The new model M3 EVMs have tamper detection and self-diagnostics as added features. Since, software is based on OTP the program cannot be altered, re-written or Re-read. Thus, making EVM tamper proof. If anyone make, attempt, the machine will become in operative.

Do the ECI-EVMs use foreign technology?

EVMs are produced indigenously by 2 PSUs viz. Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bengaluru and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad. The Software Programme Code is written in-house, by these two companies, not outsourced, and subjected to security procedures at factory level to maintain the highest levels of integrity. The programme is converted into machine code and only then given to the chip manufacturer abroad because we don't have the capability of producing semi-conductor microchips within the country.

What is the status of VVPAT enabled machines?

The ECI has conducted elections in 255 assembly constituencies and nine Lok Sabha constituencies using Voters Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). The use of M2 and new-generation M3 EVMs along with VVPAT is the way forward for further confidence and transparency of the voters.

(Security Features of The ECI-EVMs as published by PIB)