ECI said the adoption of a particular percentage as a sample for VVPAT slip verification was devoid of scientific logic or statistical basis
AGENCIES / NEW DELHI
The Supreme Court today asked leaders of 21 Opposition parties to file within a week (April 8) their reply on the Election Commission’s affidavit on their plea regarding VVPAT slips in Lok Sabha polls.
The Opposition leaders led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had sought that VVPAT slips of at least 50 per cent of voting machines in each assembly constituency be checked randomly during the polls.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi asked senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Opposition leaders, to file the reply by next Monday. The poll panel had on Friday last sought dismissal of the petition.
In its affidavit, the Election Commission had asserted in the apex court that the Opposition leaders have been unable to raise any ground for altering the existing system of random counting of VVPAT slips from one polling booth per assembly segment.
“The 50% Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slip verification in each assembly segment of a Parliamentary Constituency or Assembly Constituency on an average shall enlarge the time required for counting to about six days,” ECI said in a 50-page affidavit filed last week.
The Commission, represented by senior advocate Aryama Sundaram and advocate Amit Sharma, submitted that no mismatch has been detected in mock polls or in the verification of VVPAT slips carried out at 1,500 polling stations till date.
The affidavit said increased VVPAT slip counting would require extensive training and capacity building of election officials in the field. VVPAT slip counting takes place in specially erected VVPAT counting booths under the close monitoring of the returning officer and direct oversight of the observer.
ECI said its confidence in EVM-VVPATs is sourced from their secure designs, elaborate procedural safeguards adopted for their usage, and finally the fact that there have been zero errors in sample verifications so far.