Dismissing a plea seeking restoration of the paper ballot voting system in elections in the country, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said allegations of tampering with electronic voting machines (EVM) raked up only when people lose polls.
Referring to the ballot paper voting systems followed in foreign countries, the petitioner on Tuesday insisted that India should follow the same. Back in April, dismissing the unfounded speculation of manipulation of the EVMs, the Supreme Court rejected the demand for reverting to the old ballot paper system.
Dismissing a plea seeking restoration of the paper ballot voting system in elections in the country, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said allegations of tampering with electronic voting machines (EVM) raked up only when people lose polls.
"What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs are not tampered with. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with)," remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale while hearing the plea filed by the petitioner K A Paul.
Reiterating the party's stance against EVMs at the party's Constitution Day event on Tuesday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge once again criticised the electronic voting system and demanded a return to the ballot paper mechanism earlier in use for elections. "We don't want EVMs, we want ballot paper," he said.
Referring to the ballot paper voting systems followed in foreign countries, Mr. Paul on Tuesday insisted that India should follow the same. The petitioner earlier revealed that he has been to over 150 countries.
Responding to his claim, the SC bench asked, "Why you don't want to be different from the rest of the world?"
Moreover, when the petitioner cited that there was corruption and in June 2024, the Election Commission announced they had seized Rs 9,000 crore, the bench asked, "But how does that make your relief which you are claiming here relevant? If you shift back to physical ballot, will there be no corruption?"
"When Chandrababu Naidu lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with. Now this time, Jagan Mohan Reddy lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with," noted the bench.
Back in April, dismissing the unfounded speculation of manipulation of the EVMs, the apex court rejected the demand for reverting to the old ballot paper system.
However, the top court simultaneously opened a window for aggrieved unsuccessful candidates who secured second and third places in poll results. The window, as per the top court, allows them to seek verification of microcontroller chips embedded in five percent EVMs per assembly constituency on a written request upon payment of a fee to the poll panel.
It directed that from May 1, the symbol loading units should be sealed and secured in a container and stored in a strongroom along with the EVMs for a minimum period of 45 days post-declaration of results.