New Delhi: Tech billionaire Elon Musk has triggered a debate on the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) as in todays digital age there are concerns about the security of electronic voting machines and mailed-in ballots have increased, on Tuesday. The statement from Musk has come when the United States is all set to witness elections by the end of this year.Elon Musk on X said that electronic voting machines and anything mailed in is too risky. We should mandate paper ballots and in-person voting only.Electronic voting machines and anything mailed in is too risky.We should mandate paper ballots and in-person voting only. pic.twitter.com/TVC32b1Wkd— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 9, 2024Soon netizens started reacting to the tweetA user Truth Justice wrote, Elon knows the truth.Another user Vertigo Warrior wrote, On the contrary, paper ballots are easily manipulated through booth capturing. I agree with in-person voting. However, EVMs with factory-embedded programs cannot be hacked easily and must be used. They have been sued successfully for long in Indian elections.On the contrary, paper ballots are easily manipulated through booth capturing. I agree with in person voting. However EVMs with factory embedded programs cannot be hacked easily and must be used. They have been sued successfully for long in Indian elections— Vertigo_Warrior (@VertigoWarrior) July 9, 2024A user named Viren Rajput from India wrote in Hindi, Elections have just taken place in India. Tampering with electronic machines is possible. Electronic machines have been tampered with in some areas of India. EVMs should be banned and elections should be conducted using ballot papers only.भारत में अभी इलेक्शन हुए हैं।इलेक्ट्रॉनिक वाशिंग मशीन में छेड़खानी पॉसिबल है।भारत में कुछ जगह पर इलेक्ट्रॉनिक वाशिंग मशीन में छेड़खानी की गई है।ईवीएम को बैन कर देना चाहिए और बेलेट पेपर से ही इलेक्शन होना चाहिए।👏👏👏👏— Viren Rajput (क्षत्रिय)🇮🇳 (@Viren_Rajput2) July 9, 2024Dont use electronic voting machine: Musk Few days back also a controversy arose on EVM Machines. Elon Musk posted a tweet where he wrote We should eliminate electronic voting machines. The risk of being hacked by humans or AI, while small, is still too high. We should eliminate electronic voting machines. The risk of being hacked by humans or AI, while small, is still too high. https://t.co/PHzJsoXpLh— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2024Soon enough former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar opposed his statement claiming it as a huge sweeping generalisation that holds no truth.This is a huge sweeping generalization statement that implies no one can build secure digital hardware. Wrong. @elonmusk s view may apply to US n other places - where they use regular compute platforms to build Internet connected Voting machines.But Indian EVMs are custom… https://t.co/GiaCqU1n7O— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@RajeevRC_X) June 16, 2024After this, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed his support for Elon Musk. He referred to EVMs in India as a black box, highlighting concerns about transparency in the electoral process. He emphasized transparency in our electoral process and democracy becomes a sham and prone to fraud when institutions lack accountability.EVMs in India are a black box, and nobody is allowed to scrutinize them.Serious concerns are being raised about transparency in our electoral process.Democracy ends up becoming a sham and prone to fraud when institutions lack accountability. https://t.co/nysn5S8DCF pic.twitter.com/7sdTWJXOAb— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 16, 2024Features of EVM machineElectronic voting machines (EVMs) introduced in the year 2004. It consist of two parts, the control unit and the balloting unit. These units are connected by a cable. The control unit is held by a polling officer while the balloting unit is placed inside a private area where voters can cast their votes.To ensure privacy, the balloting unit is covered on all sides. During voting, after verifying the identity of voters, the polling officer presses the ballot button on the control unit, allowing voters to cast their votes securely.
