Amid Lok Sabha polls, Supreme Court says no to 100% EVM-VVPAT verification

NEW DELHI: In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court of India has rejected all petitions seeking 100 percent verification of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) votes with their Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.

The decision comes amidst heightened concerns over the integrity and transparency of the electoral process during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Supreme Court Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta announced the verdict on Friday (April 26) amid the second phase polling for Lok Sabha elections.

The Supreme Court clarified that it has issued two crucial directives aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

Firstly, the court ordered that after the completion of the symbol loading process, the Symbol Loading Unit (SLU) should be sealed and stored for a minimum of 45 days.

This measure is intended to preserve crucial evidence and ensure the integrity of the electoral data.

Secondly, the Supreme Court mandated that candidates will have the option to request the microcontroller program of EVMs to be scrutinized by a team of engineers following the declaration of results.

However, candidates must make such a request within seven days after the announcement of the election results.

“The burnt memory in the microcontroller EVM shall be checked by a team of engineers after the declaration of results on a request by candidates in serial numbers 2 and 3, such a request to be made within seven days after the declaration of results,” Justice Khanna said.

This provision aims to provide candidates with an opportunity to verify the functionality and authenticity of the EVMs used in the electoral process.

The ruling has been met with mixed reactions from various political parties and stakeholders.

While some have welcomed the Supreme Court's directives as a step towards ensuring electoral transparency, others have expressed disappointment over the dismissal of the pleas for comprehensive verification.