In the context of elections in India, which one of the following is the correct full form of WPAT?

In the context of Indian elections, VVPAT (often referred to as WPAT in certain administrative documents) stands for Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail [2]. It is an independent system attached to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) that allows voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended [4]. When a vote is cast, the VVPAT prints a slip showing the serial number, name, and symbol of the chosen candidate, which remains visible through a transparent window for seven seconds before falling into a sealed dropbox [5]. The Supreme Court of India permitted its phased introduction in 2013, describing it as an indispensable requirement for free and fair elections [1]. While some official documents use the abbreviation 'WPAT' for storage and management purposes, the standard full form remains Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail [7].

Sources

1. [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 82: Electoral Reforms > 22Ibid. > p. 587
2. [2] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System > LET'S EXPLORE > p. 130
3. [4] https://ceoelection.bihar.gov.in/pdf/EVM/EVM%20Brochure%20for%20Candidates%20and%20Political%20Parties%202024.pdf
4. [5] https://ceomanipur.nic.in/documents/FAQs%20on%20VVPAT.pdf
5. [7] https://eci.gov.in/evm/