2025, Vol. 7, Issue 12, Part C

Author(s): Navnit Kumar

Abstract: The legitimacy of democratic elections is fundamentally predicated on public trust in electoral institutions and processes. In India, the introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) was designed to enhance electoral efficiency and integrity by reducing manual fraud. However, this technological shift has generated a profound paradox: intended as instruments of transparency, EVMs have become focal points of intense political controversy and public skepticism, often described as a “black box” whose inner workings remain opaque to the ordinary citizen. This paper argues that the crisis of legitimacy surrounding EVMs is not merely a technical debate but a socio-political phenomenon, constructed through the dynamic interplay of political strategy, polarized media ecosystems, and pre-existing levels of institutional trust. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from Weber, Beetham, Bourdieu, and Habermas, and employing a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods approach, this study analyzes key case studies from recent Indian elections. It reveals a consistent pattern where allegations of tampering are strategically deployed by losing parties, amplified by social media, and inadequately countered by defensive institutional responses. The paper concludes that restoring legitimacy requires a multi-pronged approach that moves beyond technical fortification to prioritize proactive transparency, cross-partisan engagement, and a renewed commitment to evidence-based public discourse.

DOI: 10.33545/26646021.2025.v7.i12c.794

Pages: 201-205 | Views: 91 | Downloads: 15

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