The Supreme Court’s rejection of pleas advocating for a return to the ballot paper system was accompanied by Election Commission officials highlighting that constitutional courts have dismissed petitions challenging the reliability of electronic voting machines (EVMs) on approximately 40 occasions. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar emphasized the safety of EVMs, stating they are “100 per cent safe” and that political parties recognize their fairness.
The apex court, while rejecting pleas for complete cross-verification of votes cast via EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), cautioned against unwarranted scepticism, asserting that “democracy is all about striving to build harmony and trust between all institutions.” Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta delivered concurring verdicts, dismissing all pleas, including those advocating for a return to ballot papers in elections.
In addition to rejecting the pleas, the Supreme Court issued directives, including instructing the Election Commission to seal and store units used to load symbols into EVMs for 45 days after the process, and allowing engineers of EVM manufacturers to verify the machines’ microcontroller after result declaration upon request from candidates who secured second and third positions.
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