Supreme Court Upholds EVM Integrity, Dismisses Review Plea

The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a petition seeking review of its verdict which upheld the security and reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) against allegations of manipulation. The ruling reinforces the use of EVMs, integrated with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), as a stable voting mechanism for future elections.

The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a petition seeking a review of its previous decision to reject demands for complete cross-verification of votes cast through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) using Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).

The apex court, in its April 26 verdict, had deemed suspicions of EVM manipulation as 'unfounded', asserting the devices are secure and prevent booth capturing and bogus voting. A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta found no grounds for reviewing this decision.

On July 25, the bench ruled out any need for further review of the matter. It added that incorporating VVPAT enhances vote verifiability, thus bolstering the overall accountability of the electoral process.

(With inputs from agencies.)