No need to increase VVPAT count to match it with EVM: EC files affidavit in SC

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday filed its reply in the Supreme Court and opposed the petition filed by twenty-one political parties through which they had sought direction that 50 per cent EVM results should be matched and cross-checked with VVPATs before the declaration of results in the upcoming General Elections.

The poll-body in its affidavit stated that "there is no need to increase VVPAT count to match it with EVM".

The court had on Thursday directed the Commission to file by today an affidavit on why physical verification of VVPATs should not be extended to more than one polling station per Assembly segment.

The court is hearing a plea filed by 21 opposition leaders led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, seeking a random count of VVPAT slips of at least 50 per cent EVMs in each Assembly constituency before the declaration of Lok Sabha election results.

The petition has challenged the decision of the Commission to check VVPATs of only one randomly selected booth of a constituency. The petitioners have said that this will account only for 0.44 per cent of the votes polled.

The General Elections are scheduled to be held in seven phases from 11 April to May 19 to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha. The counting of votes for all phases will take place on May 23 and results will also be declared on the same day.

Legislative Assembly elections in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.