SC asks EC to install paper trail in voting machines
9 Oct 2013 12:21 AM GMT
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Election Commission to introduce in a phased manner paper trail in Electronic Voting Machines in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The court said paper trail is an indispensable requirement of free and fair elections and the confidence of voters in the EVMs can be achieved only with its introduction.
The bench said it will ensure the accuracy of the voting system and will also help in manual counting of votes in case of dispute. The court directed the government to provide financial assistance to the Election Commission for introduction of Vote Verifier Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system with the EVMs. The bench asked the EC to introduce VVPAT in EVMs in gradual stages.
The bench noted the submissions made by the EC in its affidavit that it has decided to increase the use of VVPAT units in a phased manner and has already written to the Ministry of Law and Justice to issue administrative and financial sanction for procurement of 20,000 units of VVPAT costing Rs 38.01 crore.
The bench said it will ensure the accuracy of the voting system and will also help in manual counting of votes in case of dispute. The court directed the government to provide financial assistance to the Election Commission for introduction of Vote Verifier Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system with the EVMs. The bench asked the EC to introduce VVPAT in EVMs in gradual stages.
The bench noted the submissions made by the EC in its affidavit that it has decided to increase the use of VVPAT units in a phased manner and has already written to the Ministry of Law and Justice to issue administrative and financial sanction for procurement of 20,000 units of VVPAT costing Rs 38.01 crore.
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