Tanya Gupta
Published on: March 8, 2022, at 19:16 IST
The Apex Court to hear a Plea regarding Verification of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) on Wednesday.
Senior Counsel Meenakshi Arora presented the matter before the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, to which he Assents to hear tomorrow. The Verification of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail is currently happening after the Vote-Counting is completed, Leaving the Exercise open to Debate.
“Verification of VVPAT is after Counting is over and by that time all Election agents have left, so there is No Transparency,” she presented.
“If Verification is after Counting is over then there is no use. Verification should be first when there are Agents, Parties, Candidates etc.,” she further added.
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana then mentions the existence of 2019 Guidelines in this matter.
He was referring to an April 8 Supreme Court’s Order which Directs that the number of Electronic Voting Machines in regard to which Vote Verified Paper Audit Trail is Verified to be Increased from 1 Electronic Voting Machine to 5 Electronic Voting Machines per Assembly Constituency.
The aforementioned Order was passed when some Political Parties filed a Petition for VVPAT’S Physical Verification for a Minimum 50% of the Polling Stations.
However, Senior Counsel asserts that in the present Case Verification is happening only in regard to One Booth Per Polling Station.
“It was said that 5 Polling Booths Per Polling Station and now there is only One Booth Per Station. Please hear this tomorrow. Counting is the day after tomorrow (in Assembly Polls to 5 States),” she presented.
The Court questions the Counsel as to why it’s being approached at the last hour.
“Last minute if you are asking, how can we help you? Day after tomorrow is Counting. Even if we hear this tomorrow, can we issue such a direction to all States,” Chief Justice of India asked.
“Election Commission can be informed,” stated Meenakshi Arora.
The Court then Summons the Election Commission tomorrow.
“Let us see what can be done,” the Chief Justice of India observed.
Various Technocrats filed a Plea to seek Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) Verification of all Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) which was dismissed by the Supreme Court in May 2019.
Also Read: The Bombay Parsi Punchayet Trustee Elections to be held on May 29, use of EVMs and VVPATs Permitted
Plea filed in Supreme Court Seeking VVPAT Verification in more Polling Stations per Constituency