Gujarat: SC rejects Congress plea for cross-verification of 25% EVMs
The SC has rejected a Congress plea seeking directions to the EC for cross-verification of at least 25% of EVM votes with VVPAT paper trail. Saying it finds no merit in the plea, the court said it could file a writ petition for such an electoral reform. This comes just two days before counting of votes for the Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat elections.
What is a paper trail-based EVM?
Following controversy on EVM tampering, the EC had declared in May that all elections would be conducted through VVPAT. Using the VVPAT, a voter will be able to ensure his/her vote goes to the candidate of his/her choice. A paper slip is immediately printed with details of the vote. The EC will tally these slips with the results of EVMs in some polling stations.
EC has decided on cross-verifying one booth per constituency
Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh were the first states to have 100% deployment of VVPAT machines in polling booths during elections. Earlier, AAP, which had led protests against EVMs, had sought paper trail counting at 25% of polling stations in each constituency. However, the EC had decided to cross-verify EVM votes with paper trail in one booth per constituency for the Gujarat elections.
Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee's petition filed in the SC
Congress alleged EVM tampering, bluetooth manipulation in Gujarat polls
After the Gujarat elections, the state Congress unit complained of EVM tampering, charges which the EC rejected. They also alleged Bluetooth devices were connected to EVMs to manipulate results. "The chips in EVMs appear to be programmable using bluetooth," said senior leader Arjun Modhwadia, who claimed he had sent photos to the EC. The EC said it is probing the matter.
BJP's response on the allegations
"Congress is saying there is a defect in EVMs. The EC will respond. But we can say that Congress is searching for an excuse as it stares at a loss in the elections. They are trying to hide behind EVMs," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
