New Delhi: Supreme Court Declines Plea for Full Verification of EVM Votes

NEW DELHI: On Friday, Supreme Court of India issued a ruling. This verdict rejected a plea. The plea called for comprehensive examination of votes. These votes were cast using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). They also made use of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.

The court did not only dismiss the proposal for returning to paper ballot system. Alongside this, it also rejected the demand to count 100% of VVPAT slips in conjunction with electronic counting.

The bench offered two separate but aligned judgments. The Justices in question, Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta clarified their decision. They centered their clarification on consideration of technical aspects. Moreover, they addressed existing protocols tied to EVMs.

Justice Dipankar Datta concluded a ruling. In his statement, he underlined the crucial need for balance. The balance is essential when examining electoral systems. He issued a warning against unreasoning distrust. Instead, Justice Datta advocated for a specific type of approach. It is a critical but fruitful one. This approach prioritizes evidence and logic.

Emphasizing the necessity to foster trust, Justice Datta underscored collaboration. He publicized the importance of open dialogue. He strongly advocated for transparency. These are instrumental in constructing the foundations of democracy.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna expressed similar sentiments. He stressed the demand for decisions grounded in evidence. Such decisions optimize improvements within the electoral process. The justice proposed an idea. He suggested using electronic machines to tally paper slips. He even proposed the potential incorporation of barcodes. The barcodes would represent party affiliations.

The Supreme Court issued directives too. These directives addressed the management and verification of EVMs and VVPATs post-elections. Symbol Loading Units (SLUs) engaged in VVPATs will be sealed. They will be preserved alongside EVMs for minimum 45 days post the declaration of results.

In addition, certain EVMs in every assembly segment of parliamentary constituency will be verified. Verification is conducted by engineers from manufacturers producing EVMs. Verification occurs upon a candidate's written request.

Candidates, or alternatively, their representatives, are provided the opportunity to supervise verification. However, the cost will fall fully on the party which requests it. Court decisions underscores the importance of evidence-based choices. It highlights the importance of improving election honesty. Electoral integrity, that is. This is achieved by carefully balancing the dual needs for confidence and openness.

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