VVPAT slips: SC grants week's time to opposition parties to file affidavit
TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Updated: Apr 1, 2019, 11:28 IST
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday granted time till April 8 to 21 opposition parties to file their reply to the Election Commission's affidavit on counting of VVPAT slips.
The opposition parties have filed a petition in the SC seeking that Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips of at least 50 per cent of voting machines in each assembly constituency be checked randomly in the Lok Sabha elections.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for opposition leaders, to file the reply by next Monday.
While seeking the dismissal of the petition, the EC had on Friday asserted that the 21 opposition leaders have been unable to raise any ground for altering the existing system of random counting of the VVPAT slips from one polling booth per assembly segment, which was "found to be most suitable" after due studies and tests.
EC, asked on March 25 by the apex court to give its view on increasing the number of random sample surveys from one booth per assembly segment, said that in the future elections it may consider suggestions for further improving the holding of polls in free and fair manner.
The poll panel currently adopts a system of counting of VVPAT slips in one polling booth per assembly constituency in the Vidhan Sabha polls and in one polling booth in each assembly segment for the Lok Sabha polls.
The affidavit said that the 21 opposition leaders have not disclosed "even one specific instance for this Court to come to a conclusion that the existing system would in any manner adversely influence the free and fair elections."
In addition, the poll panel said 50 per cent VVPAT slip verification on an average shall enlarge the time required for counting to about six days.
(With agency inputs)
The opposition parties have filed a petition in the SC seeking that Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips of at least 50 per cent of voting machines in each assembly constituency be checked randomly in the Lok Sabha elections.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for opposition leaders, to file the reply by next Monday.
While seeking the dismissal of the petition, the EC had on Friday asserted that the 21 opposition leaders have been unable to raise any ground for altering the existing system of random counting of the VVPAT slips from one polling booth per assembly segment, which was "found to be most suitable" after due studies and tests.
EC, asked on March 25 by the apex court to give its view on increasing the number of random sample surveys from one booth per assembly segment, said that in the future elections it may consider suggestions for further improving the holding of polls in free and fair manner.
The poll panel currently adopts a system of counting of VVPAT slips in one polling booth per assembly constituency in the Vidhan Sabha polls and in one polling booth in each assembly segment for the Lok Sabha polls.
The affidavit said that the 21 opposition leaders have not disclosed "even one specific instance for this Court to come to a conclusion that the existing system would in any manner adversely influence the free and fair elections."
In addition, the poll panel said 50 per cent VVPAT slip verification on an average shall enlarge the time required for counting to about six days.
(With agency inputs)
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