EC on holding simultaneous polls: Will need Rs 10,000 crore every 15 years

The Election Commission says it will need some Rs 10,000 crore every 15 years to buy new Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) if simultaneous elections are held for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.

In a communication to the government, the Commission said the shelf life of EVMs was 15 years; one set of machines could be used to hold three cycles of elections in their life span if simultaneous polls were held.

Double EVMs

According to estimates, a total of 11.80 lakh polling stations would be required to be set up across India for Lok Sabha elections due this year.

During simultaneous elections, two sets of EVMs would be needed at each polling station – one for the Lok Sabha contestants and another for the Assembly constituency.

VVPAT machines

Based on past experiences, the EC said in the communication sent to the government, certain percentage of Control Units (CUs), Ballot Units (BUs) and Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines are also needed as reserves to replace defective units including on election day.

At least one BU, one CU and one VVPAT machine make up for one EVM.

Cost of machines

Keeping in mind various aspects, the minimum EVMs and VVPATs required for simultaneous elections would be: 46,75,100 BUs, 33,63,300 CUs and 36,62,600 VVPATs, the Commission said in its letter to the Law Ministry in February last year.

In early 2023, the tentative cost of EVM stood at Rs 7,900 per BU, Rs 9,800 per CU and Rs 16,000 per unit of VVPAT.

The EC was responding to a questionnaire on simultaneous elections sent by the Law Ministry.

Security, storage

The panel also underlined the need for additional polling and security personnel, enhanced storage facilities for EVMs and more vehicles in the event of simultaneous elections.

The commission said that keeping in mind the production of new machines, increasing warehousing facilities and other logistical issues, the first simultaneous elections can only be held in 2029.

Constitutional amendments

It also observed that five articles of the constitution will have to be amended to hold simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

It also noted that the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution relating to disqualification on the grounds of defection will also require necessary changes.

The government has formed a panel, headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind, to examine the issue of holding simultaneous elections in the country.

(With agency inputs)