The keenly fought 2000 US presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore was decided by the US Supreme Court, which stopped a manual count of votes initiated by Florida's top court, terming it a violation of the country's constitutional framework. Bush was finally declared the winner with a small margin.
Two important guiding ideas came into play. First, the equal protection clause, which lets an individual county within a state determine the validity of polled votes unique to its own understanding (given conflicting manual recount standards). Second, the need to truthfully capture the "intent of the voter"—the holy grail of democracy.
A significant outcome of the contentious result was a broad US shift from manual vote counting in favour of a Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) machine system. The rapid adoption of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the US, peaking at 30% in 2010, was unfortunately checkmated during the 2016 Trump-versus-Clinton election amid the purported meddling by outsiders in the electoral database and process.
America came full circle, with flip-flops that have made its electoral system a near mockery of democratic processes. India, under the guidance of the Election Commission of India (ECI), did not mimic the West.
When cynics and vested interests nudge the masses to believe unfounded tales of the ECI and EVMs being susceptible to manipulation and raise slogans asking India to revert to the "tried and tested" paper ballot system, they seem besieged with a colonial mindset. With the ECI having ring-fenced EVMs against all possible breaches, such cynicism is unwarranted.
This story is from the January 14, 2025 edition of Mint Hyderabad.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 14, 2025 edition of Mint Hyderabad.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Isro Achieves Satellite Docking Milestone
India is now only the fourth country to achieve the feat
How Entrepreneurs Can Safeguard Personal Wealth Amid Business Risks
The essence of ring-fencing lies in proactive planning and protecting from potential risks
AI Democratizing Tech Deployment in Organizations: Buch
Madhabi Puri Buch, the chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), underscored the pivotal role of technology in driving the remarkable transformation of the country's capital markets in a pre-recorded address at the symposium on India's Securities Market Tech Stack (SMART 2025).
Kirloskar Family dispute escalates
The ongoing dispute within the Kirloskar family has intensified, with Kirloskar Brothers Ltd (KBL) seeking intervention in the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) in an appeal filed by Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd (KOEL).
Reserve Bank keeps Tata Sons in upper-layer NBFC list
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday retained Tata Sons—the principal holding company of the Tata Group—in its list of 15 upper-layer non-bank financiers for FY25, but said it is \"without prejudice\" to the company's application to get itself deregistered.
Oil giant BP cuts thousands of jobs
British energy giant BP on Thursday said it would axe 4,700 staff jobs, or about five percent of its workforce, and is cutting thousands of contractor roles to reduce costs.
Bain Invests in Auto Parts Firm Dhoot Transmission
S private equity firm Bain Capital has invested an undisclosed amount in Dhoot Transmission Group, an Aurangabad-based automotive components manufacturer.
The Ethics of AI Will Prove More Important Than the Technology
Artificial intelligence could be the future of humanity and we must not let it slip out of our control
Manipal eyes $1 bn IPO, calls pitches
in Manipal Health in April 2023 for more than $2 billion, valuing it at nearly $4.8 billion or ₹40,000 crore.
Versace Is Not the Right Fit for Prada's High Fashion Strategy
A mix of two distinct aesthetics will risk a wardrobe malfunction