EC defends integrity of EVMs in SC, asserts it can’t be manipulated
The Election Commission of India (ECI) defended the integrity of the electronic voting system, asserting that it was not prone to any external interference or manipulations.
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by a hospitality firm, Sky Light Hospitality LLP, linked to Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi and husband of Priyanka Gandhi, challenging an Income Tax (I-T) department notice to it for re-assessment of its profits from land deals in Haryana and Rajasthan for 2010-11.
The firm had moved the top court to seek that the probe is halted, in which Vadra has been summoned by the I-T department to appear in person. Vadra had earlier refused to appear before the IT department, but now he will have to appear before the department, along with other directors of the company.
According to the media reports, as per the directive of the apex court, the investigation into the firm will now continue.
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After a brief hearing, an apex court bench of justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan refused to interfere with the high court’s order by which the firm associated with Vadra was directed to join proceedings before the assessing officer. The Supreme Court cleared that it was satisfied with the reasons given by I-T officials to justify their investigation.
The I-T department, in a tax evasion report tabled before the high court, had said it had reasons to believe that over Rs 35 crore, earned by the firm in 2010-11, “had escaped from assessment”.
Earlier, in February, the Delhi High Court had dismissed the plea of the Delhi-based hospitality firm linked to Vadra, challenging an I-T Department notice for re-assessment of its profits from land deals in Haryana and Rajasthan for the years 2010-11.
(With agency inputs)
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