SC Dismisses Petitions Seeking 100% Verification Of VVPAT Slips

The Supreme Court on Friday (April 26th, 2024) rejected all petitions seeking 100% cross-verification of votes cast using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with paper slips generated through the VVPAT method during 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The apex court also rejected the request of petitioners to return to ballot paper voting.

The top court said:

"Democracy is about striving to build harmony and blindly distrusting the poll process can lead to unwarranted suspicion" 

Supreme Court also gave the following directions to Election Commission :

1. After the completion of symbol loading process, the Symbol Loading Unit (SLU) should be sealed and they should be stored at least for a period of 45 days.
2. There will be option for candidates to get the microcontroller program of EVMs to be checked by a team of engineers after the declaration of results, such a request to be made by the candidate within seven days after the declaration of results.

Source – Indian Express, DD News