HC notice to poll panels on availability of VVPAT machines

The Delhi High Court today said it cannot issue directions for the use of VVPAT machines attached to the electronic voting machines in the upcoming MCD polls without knowing about their availability with the Election Commission.
Justice A K Pathak issued notice to the Election Commission of India and the Delhi State Election Commission asking them to file their responses on the Aam Aadmi Party's plea for use of VVPAT (Voter-verified paper audit trail) enabled generation 2 or generation 3 EVMs in the MCD polls.
The judge, however, observed that "at the eleventh hour, I cannot issue any direction to stall the MCD elections".

"We cannot interfere with the process when the machines are not available," the court said, adding let the EC inform it on an affidavit within two days whether VVPAT machines are available with them or not. The court .
The court, which fixed the matter for further hearing on April 21, was hearing a petition filed by Mohd Tahir Hussain, who is contesting the MCD election, and the Aam Aadmi Party who have alleged that in the recent past, EVMs had been manipulated in various states.