Supreme Court to Prioritize Petitions on EVM and VVPAT Verification Before Lok Sabha Election

The Supreme Court has decided to expedite hearings on several petitions demanding comprehensive verification of votes through Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips against the votes counted in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha election. This move comes in response to concerns raised about the transparency and reliability of the current electronic voting system.

Key Aspects of the Petitions:

• Current Practice: At present, only votes in five polling stations per Assembly constituency are cross-verified with VVPAT slips.

• Petitioners' Argument: Advocates, including Kapil Sibal and Prashant Bhushan, emphasize the necessity of full transparency and voter confidence in the electoral process, referencing a 2013 Supreme Court judgment that underscored the indispensability of a "paper trail" for free and fair elections.

• Proposed Changes: A petition by activist Arun Kumar Agrawal suggests simultaneous VVPAT verification to avoid delays, contrasting with the Election Commission's (EC) guideline for sequential verification.

Election Commission's Stance:

• The EC argues that there is no fundamental right for voters to have their votes verified through VVPATs as being "recorded as cast" and "counted as recorded".

• It assures that EVMs are secure, non-tamperable devices, citing their design with one-time programmable chips.

• The EC maintains that the current system of verifying VVPAT slips from five polling stations per constituency ensures the integrity of the electronic vote.

• Concerns Over Full Count: The EC highlights practical difficulties in counting 100% of VVPAT slips, given the logistical challenges it would entail.

Additional Information to Remember:

• The Supreme Court's willingness to address these petitions underscores the importance of voter confidence and the integrity of India's electoral democracy.

• The debate over the extent of VVPAT verification highlights the balance between technological trust and the need for tangible verification mechanisms in digital voting processes.

Keywords to Remember:

• Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT): A system that provides feedback to voters using a ballotless voting system to verify their vote was cast correctly.

• Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs): Electronic devices used to record votes in a tamper-proof manner, ensuring a secure and efficient electoral process.

• Sequential vs. Simultaneous Verification: The process of verifying votes one after the other versus checking multiple votes at the same time to speed up the counting process.

Reason it's important : SC to list please on verifying count in EVMs before polls

Published in : The Hindu

Date appeared in newspaper : 04 April 2024

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