SC to pass directions on pleas seeking mandatory EVM-VVPAT tally
As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, the issue is listed before a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta “for directions” on April 24.
As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, the issue is listed before a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta “for directions” on April 24.
In its reply to Ramesh’s letter, the poll panel categorically said it has no new assertions or reasonable and legitimate doubts which require further clarifications.
The state government and the state election commission (SEC) has policy-wise decided to use VVPAT but it depends whether the poll body will have an adequate supply of machines before the election.
The commission has said that these EVMs won`t be used for voting on Tuesday.
India has been grouped under 'flawed democracies'. This is not too distressing considering the gargantuan scale of the electoral exercise. The free and fair elections honouring basic civil liberties in India face certain inherent challenges, risks and systemic and procedural constraints.
Faith in the EVMs, or a lack of it, is not the sole reason why the Election Commission has come under a cloud.
The poll body had last Friday refused to entertain the opposition's request for 50 per cent sample-matching of the EVMs with the corresponding VVPATs.
"The political parties should understand that prolonged debate on EVMs and VVPATs and questioning the integrity of the EC would send a negative impression of India’s image worldwide."
The court directed the EC to file an affidavit explaining why it “seemed to be fully satisfied” with the limit of VVPATs deployed in polling stations, though it did not comment on the number sought by a group of 21 Opposition parties.
"No institution, including judiciary, can insulate itself from suggestion for improvement," said the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi sitting with Justice Deepak Gupta, taking exception to poll panel's Deputy Commissioner Sudeep Jain resisting the suggestion for increasing the number of sample matching of VVPATs with corresponding EVMs.
