HC seeks poll panels' response on VVPATs for Delhi civic polls

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Thursday sought response of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Delhi State Election Commission on a plea by Aam Aadmi Party seeking to conduct the upcoming MCD polls with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) which are compatible with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and not without them.

Justice Rekha Palli issued notices to the two election bodies and asked them to file detailed affidavits making it clear whether M-2 EVMs are compatible with VVPAT or not.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on April 7.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing the ECI, said the petition was not maintainable and they have already provided over 60,000 M-2 EVMs to the state as per demand. He said each state election commission is aware that they have to make their own infrastructure but Delhi has not done anything.

However, advocate Sumeet Pushkarna, appearing for Delhi State EC, said Delhi's case is different from other states and Delhi has to only conduct municipal polls, which is why they take EVMs from ECI.

Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing petitioner AAP, said the MCD elections are round the corner and the state EC has not developed its own infrastructure despite

there being a Supreme Court order in this regard.

The high court was hearing the petition by AAP, through MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, seeking direction to Delhi SEC to conduct the upcoming MCD polls with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) which are compatible with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and not without them.

It had earlier asked the ECI to inform whether VVPAT system can be used only with M-3 EVMs and if they can be made available to Delhi SEC for conducting the municipal elections.

The counsel for State EC had submitted that VVPAT is used only in General elections and Legislative Assembly polls and as a matter of policy, the EC is using M-2 EVMs Pan India for municipal polls.