UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC forwards plea on time-stamping VVPAT slips to EC

Question 1

When a vote is cast, the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slip displayed to the voter through the transparent window carries which one of the following sets of details before it is cut and deposited in the sealed drop box?

Accepted Answer

The serial number, name and symbol of the candidate voted for

Answer

The elector's photo identity (EPIC) number together with the candidate's name

Answer

The polling station number and the exact time at which the vote was cast

Answer

The candidate's name and the voter's serial number in the electoral roll

Question 2

The universal deployment of VVPAT units alongside EVMs at polling stations and their operational use during polls is carried out by which one of the following authorities?

Accepted Answer

Election Commission of India

Answer

Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice

Answer

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

Answer

Ministry of Home Affairs

Question 3

Under the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, in the event of a discrepancy between the count displayed by the EVM Control Unit and the count of VVPAT paper slips, which one of the following is treated as the authoritative count?

Accepted Answer

The VVPAT paper-slip count

Answer

The EVM Control Unit count

Answer

Whichever of the two counts is higher

Answer

The count arrived at only after a mandatory re-poll

Question 4

The 2013 amendment to the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, which first enabled the use of VVPAT with EVMs, was notified by which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Central Government (Ministry of Law and Justice)

Answer

The Election Commission of India, by executive order

Answer

Parliament, through a fresh electoral statute

Answer

The President, by ordinance

Question 5

In N. Chandrababu Naidu v. Union of India (2019), the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to mandatorily count and match VVPAT paper slips against the EVM count in which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Five randomly selected polling stations in each assembly segment of a parliamentary constituency

Answer

Every polling station, without exception, in each parliamentary constituency

Answer

Fifty per cent of all polling stations in each assembly segment

Answer

One randomly selected polling station in each parliamentary constituency

Question 6

The Supreme Court verdict that rejected the demand for 100% counting of VVPAT slips and for a return to the paper-ballot system — holding that no EVM-VVPAT mismatch had been detected and that such counting would double the manpower — was pronounced in which year?

Accepted Answer

2024

Answer

2019

Answer

2021

Answer

2013

Question 7

The 2026 petition seeking the time-stamping of VVPAT slips was aimed primarily at resolving the recurring controversy over which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Sudden jumps in voter-turnout figures reported late in the evening on polling day

Answer

Mismatches between the EVM Control Unit count and the VVPAT slip count

Answer

Delays in the counting of postal ballots after EVM votes

Answer

Deletion of electors' names from the rolls before polling day

Question 8

With reference to the 2026 plea on time-stamping of VVPAT slips as compared with earlier VVPAT litigation, consider the following statements:
1. The plea seeks to add the exact time of voting to each VVPAT slip, a detail not printed on slips at present.
2. Unlike the 2019 Chandrababu Naidu matter which concerned how many VVPATs are counted, the 2026 plea concerns the data recorded on each slip.
3. The Supreme Court itself decided the plea and directed the Election Commission to implement time-stamping.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

1 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 9

With reference to the constitutional and statutory functions of the Election Commission of India, consider the following:
1. Superintendence, direction and control of elections to Parliament and the State Legislatures.
2. Conduct of elections to the offices of the President and Vice-President of India.
3. Delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies through a binding order.
4. Preparation and periodic revision of electoral rolls.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

3 only

Answer

1 and 3

Answer

2 and 4

Answer

1, 2 and 4

Question 10

The power of superintendence, direction and control of the conduct of elections to Parliament and the State Legislatures is vested in the Election Commission of India by which one of the following Articles of the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

Article 324

Answer

Article 326

Answer

Article 243K

Answer

Article 329

Question 11

With reference to the introduction of EVMs and VVPATs in Indian elections, consider the following statements:
1. EVMs were first used, on an experimental basis, in 1982 in the Paravur Assembly Constituency of Kerala.
2. VVPAT was used with EVMs for the first time in a 2013 bye-election in the Noksen constituency of Nagaland.
3. Every Lok Sabha constituency in the country used VVPAT-fitted EVMs for the very first time only in the 2024 general election.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 12

The account of the number of votes recorded at each polling station — the statutory record that underlies official voter-turnout figures — is maintained in which one of the following forms prescribed under the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961?

Accepted Answer

Form 17C

Answer

Form 17A

Answer

Form 20

Answer

Form 49A

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC forwards plea on time-stamping VVPAT slips to EC

Q1. When a vote is cast, the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slip displayed to the voter through the transparent window carries which one of the following sets of details before it is cut and deposited in the sealed drop box?

Q2. The universal deployment of VVPAT units alongside EVMs at polling stations and their operational use during polls is carried out by which one of the following authorities?

Q3. Under the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, in the event of a discrepancy between the count displayed by the EVM Control Unit and the count of VVPAT paper slips, which one of the following is treated as the authoritative count?

Q4. The 2013 amendment to the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, which first enabled the use of VVPAT with EVMs, was notified by which one of the following?

Q5. In N. Chandrababu Naidu v. Union of India (2019), the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to mandatorily count and match VVPAT paper slips against the EVM count in which one of the following?

Q6. The Supreme Court verdict that rejected the demand for 100% counting of VVPAT slips and for a return to the paper-ballot system — holding that no EVM-VVPAT mismatch had been detected and that such counting would double the manpower — was pronounced in which year?

Q7. The 2026 petition seeking the time-stamping of VVPAT slips was aimed primarily at resolving the recurring controversy over which one of the following?

Q10. The power of superintendence, direction and control of the conduct of elections to Parliament and the State Legislatures is vested in the Election Commission of India by which one of the following Articles of the Constitution?

Q12. The account of the number of votes recorded at each polling station — the statutory record that underlies official voter-turnout figures — is maintained in which one of the following forms prescribed under the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961?