EVM tampering case: SC issues notice to Centre

New Delhi – The Supreme Court yesterday sought responses from the Centre and the Election Commission (EC) to a plea filed by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on alleged tampering of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party sought to implead themselves in the case along with BSP.

“Technically, we agree that any technology can be tampered with… the EVM itself was introduced to stop larger evils like booth capturing. This is a work in progress,” the court observed.

Senior advocate and Congress leader P. Chidambaram, who appeared for the BSP, clarified that the results of the recently concluded elections in five States, including Uttar Pradesh (UP), were not being questioned. Following Bharatiya Janata Party’s landslide victory in UP, BSP supremo Mayawati had raised doubts that EVMs were tampered with.

On Tuesday, senior leaders of opposition parties met EC officials over the issue and demanded that the old system of ballot papers be restored. On Wednesday, they met President Pranab Mukherjee in connection with the same issue.

A bench comprising Justices J. Chelameswar and S. Abdul Nazeer issued notices to the Central government and the EC asking why a Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT) is not included with every EVM.

In 2013, the apex court had directed the EC to do so, saying a paper trail is an indispensable requirement of free and fair elections.

“A voter has the right to know that the vote which he exercised as  part of freedom of speech and expression to sub-serve the democracy has really gone in favour of the candidate whom he/she has chosen,” the BSP petition said.

“The EC has written to the government at least 10 times since June 2014 seeking funds for procuring VVPAT,” Chidambaram said.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal, who appeared for his party, told the court that over 3,00,000 VVPAT attachments are required across the country, entailing an expense of over Rs. 3,000 crore.

Two separate pleas — by Samajwadi Party leader Ata-ur Rehman and advocate M.L. Sharma — have been filed on the same issue in the last couple of weeks. The case will be heard next on May 8.

EC has thrown an “open challenge” to political parties and technical experts to prove malfunctioning or tampering of EVMs; a face-off is likely to happen in first week of May. Experts believe that the reliability of E

EVM tampering case: SC issues notice to Centre

New Delhi, Apr. 14- The Supreme Court yesterday sought responses from the Centre and the Election Commission (EC) to a plea filed by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on alleged tampering of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party sought to implead themselves in the case along with BSP.

“Technically, we agree that any technology can be tampered with… the EVM itself was introduced to stop larger evils like booth capturing. This is a work in progress,” the court observed.

Senior advocate and Congress leader P. Chidambaram, who appeared for the BSP, clarified that the results of the recently concluded elections in five States, including Uttar Pradesh (UP), were not being questioned. Following Bharatiya Janata Party’s landslide victory in UP, BSP supremo Mayawati had raised doubts that EVMs were tampered with.

On Tuesday, senior leaders of opposition parties met EC officials over the issue and demanded that the old system of ballot papers be restored. On Wednesday, they met President Pranab Mukherjee in connection with the same issue.

A bench comprising Justices J. Chelameswar and S. Abdul Nazeer issued notices to the Central government and the EC asking why a Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT) is not included with every EVM.

In 2013, the apex court had directed the EC to do so, saying a paper trail is an indispensable requirement of free and fair elections.

“A voter has the right to know that the vote which he exercised as  part of freedom of speech and expression to sub-serve the democracy has really gone in favour of the candidate whom he/she has chosen,” the BSP petition said.

“The EC has written to the government at least 10 times since June 2014 seeking funds for procuring VVPAT,” Chidambaram said.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal, who appeared for his party, told the court that over 3,00,000 VVPAT attachments are required across the country, entailing an expense of over Rs. 3,000 crore.

Two separate pleas — by Samajwadi Party leader Ata-ur Rehman and advocate M.L. Sharma — have been filed on the same issue in the last couple of weeks. The case will be heard next on May 8.

EC has thrown an “open challenge” to political parties and technical experts to prove malfunctioning or tampering of EVMs; a face-off is likely to happen in first week of May. Experts believe that the reliability of EVMs is beyond doubt.

“Political parties are attacking the Election Commission when they are themselves divided on their opinion about EVMs. Hopefully, after May things will be clearer,” said Anil Verma, head of national election watch at the Association for Democratic Reforms is beyond doubt.

“Political parties are attacking the Election Commission when they are themselves divided on their opinion about EVMs. Hopefully, after May things will be clearer,” said Anil Verma, head of national election watch at the Association for Democratic Reforms.