Anticipation mounts as the Supreme Court gears up to deliver its verdict on a series of petitions urging the synchronization of Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with votes cast via Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during elections. The verdict is expected to be pronounced on Wednesday, following the reservation of the case for judgment by a Bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna on April 18. Advocates representing the petitioners, including the Association for Democratic Reforms, underscored the necessity for greater transparency in the electoral process, arguing that the nation’s 97 crore registered voters deserve assurance regarding the accuracy of their votes, irrespective of the utilization of EVMs.
Prashant Bhushan and senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the petitioners, emphasized the fundamental right of voters to verify the integrity of their votes. Contrarily, the Election Commission of India (ECI) maintained its stance, asserting the infallibility of EVMs. The ECI’s contention provided a counterpoint to the petitioners’ assertions. In earlier proceedings, the Bench cautioned against undue skepticism, advising the petitioners against excessive suspicion towards the electoral process.
Presently, the cross-verification of EVM-VVPAT alignment is limited to five randomly selected polling booths within a constituency, a practice that has sparked debate over its efficacy and sufficiency in ensuring electoral integrity.
