The Supreme Court rejected a petition on Tuesday seeking the return of ballot paper voting for elections in India. The petition, filed by K A Paul, also called for several measures, including the disqualification of candidates for five years if found guilty of distributing money, liquor, or other inducements to voters. The bench, consisting of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale, dismissed the plea, noting that accusations of EVM tampering only surface when a candidate loses, not when they win.
During the proceedings, the bench questioned the petitioner about his involvement in political matters, given that his organization is focused on social issues, such as rescuing orphans and widows. Paul, in his defense, argued that many foreign countries used ballot paper voting and suggested India should follow suit. However, the bench responded by highlighting that corruption would not necessarily be eradicated by shifting back to physical ballots and questioned whether this change would address the issues raised.
The petitioner also proposed creating a framework to regulate the use of money and liquor in elections and advocated for a comprehensive voter education campaign. He emphasized that a significant percentage of educated people are not participating in elections, which he viewed as a tragedy for democracy. The bench, however, remained skeptical about the relevance of his proposed changes, particularly the call for reverting to ballots, given the complex nature of electoral challenges.
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