26 April 2024 Constitutional & Government >> Constitution & Law Procedure   |   Elections Law >> Constitution & Law Procedure  

The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a petition challenging the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in elections. The petitioners argued that EVMs were susceptible to manipulation and could compromise the integrity of the electoral process.

The Court acknowledged concerns about EVMs but found no evidence to support the claims of manipulation. The judgement highlighted the Election Commission of India's (ECI) efforts to ensure the security of EVMs and the use of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines as an additional safeguard. VVPAT machines provide a paper record of the vote cast, which can be used to verify the accuracy of the EVM results.

The Court's decision comes as a relief to the ECI, which has been defending the use of EVMs for several years. The ECI has maintained that EVMs are tamper-proof and provide a more efficient and reliable way to conduct elections.

This verdict is likely to be seen as a setback for those who have been calling for a return to paper ballots. However, it is important to note that the Court did not rule out the possibility of future challenges to EVMs. The Court emphasized the importance of maintaining voter confidence in the electoral process and said that the ECI should continue to take steps to improve the security of EVMs.