Plea In Supreme Court Seeks VVPAT Verification In More Polling Booths Per Constituency

A writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking increasing randomly selected polling stations for the purposes of mandatory verification of VVPAT paper-slips in each Assembly Constituency/Segment.

Preferred by social and RTI activist Rakesh Kumar, relief has also been sought for strict compliance of Top Court's directions in N Chandrababu Naidu & Ors v Union of India and Another.

In N Chandrababu Naidu & Ors v Union of India and Another (2019) 15 SCC 377, the Top Court had laid guidelines for mandatory verification of VVPAT paper slips out of 5 randomly selected polling station after completion of the last round of counting of votes recorded in the EVMs.

Relief for increasing randomly selected polling stations for the purpose of mandatory verification of VVPAT paper slips from 5 to 25 and/or proportionately in each Assembly Constituency/Segment has further been sought.

It has been argued in the writ that the petition has been preferred to ensure transparency in counting votes during elections and for the society to have greater sense of satisfaction and faith on the existing system of voting.

Kumar in his petition has contended that when the candidates and/or their agents become aware of the outcome of the election during the last round of counting of votes, they do not wait for the counting the VVPAT paper slips of the 5 randomly selected polling stations (as per the guidelines passed by this Court in N. Chandrababu Naidu case).

"The election process is nothing but the modus enforcement and the execution of free speech of the voters, for the selection of prospective Government and elected candidates. The laps or lacuna in the process of counting of votes. herein VVPAT paper-slips, prejudices the above Fundamental Rights thereby causing grave injury to the public and ultimately the citizen of India," the plea states.

The petition has been drafted by Advocate Raj Kumar and has been filed by Advocate Binay Kumar Das.

Case Title: Rakesh Kumar v Election Commission of India and Others