Persistent doubts and despair in EVMs create distrust in electoral process, reduces citizen participation: Supreme Court
Apr 26, 2024
New Delhi [India], 26 April : The Supreme Court has issued a stern warning against 'unwarranted' doubts surrounding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs), stressing the critical importance of upholding voter confidence and participation in the electoral process.
The court's verdict, while rejecting a petition calling for 100 per cent verification of VVPAT slips and affirming the credibility of EVMs, emphasized the necessity of exercising caution when casting aspersions on the integrity of electoral mechanisms.
Highlighting the indispensable role of trust in electoral procedures for the preservation of a robust democracy, the court expressed concern over the adverse effects of persistent and unsubstantiated challenges to the electoral process.
It noted that such doubts, even when lacking in evidence, can erode citizen confidence and diminish voter turnout.
"Repeated and persistent doubts and despair, even without supporting evidence, can have the contrarian impact of creating distrust. This can reduce citizen participation and confidence in elections, essential for a healthy and robust democracy. Unfounded challenges may actually reveal perceptions and predispositions, whereas this Court, as an arbiter and adjudicator of disputes and challenges, must render decisions on facts based on evidence and data," the court stated in its judgment.
The ruling underscores the imperative for stakeholders to refrain from baseless allegations that undermine the foundation of electoral trust, thereby safeguarding the integrity and vitality of democratic processes.
The top court on Friday rejected all the petitions seeking 100 per cent verification of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) votes with their Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar also rejected their prayer to revert to paper ballot voting system.
The apex court gave two directions: First, After the completion of the symbol loading process, the Symbol Loading Unit (SLU) should be sealed in containers and should be stored at least for a period of 45 days. Second, the burnt memory in the microcontroller EVM shall be checked by a team of engineers after the declaration of results on a request by candidates, and such a request for verification to be made within seven days after the declaration of results.
