Today's Supreme Court ruling on petitions for full count of VVPAT slips
PTC News Desk: Today, the Supreme Court is set to announce its decision regarding a series of petitions urging for the synchronisation of Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with the votes registered through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during elections.
Following two days of hearings, during which a bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta reserved their judgment on April 18, the court will finally deliver its verdict.
Throughout the extensive hearings, the bench engaged in thorough discussions with a representative from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to gain insights into the operational mechanisms of EVMs. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing the Election Commission, emphasised the standalone nature of EVMs, asserting that they are inherently resistant to tampering but acknowledged the potential for human error.
Justice Datta, underscoring the necessity of upholding the integrity of the electoral process, urged Singh to assuage any concerns, both within and outside the courtroom, stating, "You have to allay the apprehensions, both in the court and outside the court. Let nobody have the apprehension that something which is expected is not being done."
Responding to the Election Commission's submissions, the Supreme Court cautioned the petitioners against excessive suspicion, remarking, "Everything cannot be suspected. You cannot be critical of everything. If they (the ECI) have done something good, you have to appreciate it. You don't have to be critical of everything."
In an earlier hearing on April 16, the bench expressed reservations regarding the feasibility of manual counting, citing the immense scale of the electoral process in India and advising against measures that might undermine the system's integrity.
The VVPAT system, which stands for Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail, empowers voters to verify the accuracy of their votes and confirm that they have been correctly assigned to their chosen candidates. This system generates a paper slip that is securely stored and can be accessed in case of disputes.
Presently, VVPAT slips from five randomly selected EVMs in each Assembly segment undergo verification. Amidst concerns and queries from the Opposition regarding the reliability of the EVM system, the petitions advocate for the cross-verification of every vote.
These petitions have been lodged by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and activist Arun Kumar Agarwal. Agarwal specifically seeks the comprehensive counting of all VVPAT slips, while ADR's plea calls for directives from the court to ensure that voters can confirm through VVPATs that their votes have been accurately recorded.
- With inputs from agencies
