Supreme Court rejects petitions seeking 100% verification of EVMs with VVPAT slips

Today, the Supreme Court (SC) rejected a batch of petitions seeking 100% verification of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) with VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) slips during elections. The bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Sanjiv Khanna delivered the judgment today, Association for Democratic Reforms vs. Election Commission of India and another. Earlier on April 18, 2024, the SC reserved the judgment in this matter. The SC also rejected the prayer of going back to paper ballots instead of EVMs. The bench pronounced, “We have rejected the prayer for paper ballot voting, complete EVM-VVPAT verification, and physical deposit of VVPAT slips.” While rejecting the pleas, Justice Datta also said that “unless substantial evidence is presented against the EVMs, the current system will have to persist with enhancements. Regressive measures to revert to paper ballots or any alternative to the EVMs that does not adequately safeguard the interests of Indian citizens have to be eschewed.” 

In the judgment, the SC also issued directions to strengthen the integrity of the election process. These include, “On completion of the symbol loading process in the VVPATs undertaken on or after 01.05.2024, the symbol loading units shall be sealed and secured in a container. The candidates or their representatives shall sign the seal. The sealed containers, containing the symbol loading units, shall be kept in the strong room along with the EVMs at least for a period of 45 days post the declaration of results. They shall be opened, examined and dealt with as in the case of EVMs.,” and “The burnt memory semi-controller in 5% of the EVMs that is the Control Unit, Ballot Unit and the VVPAT per assembly segment of the parliamentary constituency shall be checked and verified by a team of engineers from the manufacturers of the EVM post the announcement of results, for any tampering or modification, on a written request made by candidates who are at serial no. 2 or 3 behind the highest polled candidate.” Concluding the judgment, Justice Datta said, “By nurturing a culture of trust and collaboration, we can strengthen the foundations of our democracy and ensure that the voices and choices of all citizens are valued and respected.”