SC agrees to examine pleas of Cong leaders on duplicate voters, VVPAT manipulation

The Supreme Court today agreed to examine the pleas filed by senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Sachin Pilot alleging duplication of names in the voters' lists of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and seeking random verification of VVPAT machines in the upcoming assembly elections there.

The top court sought the response of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and State Election Commissions of both Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan issued notice and sought reply of poll panels in one week. It posted the matter for further hearing on August 31.

Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Vivek Tankha, appearing for Nath and Pilot, said that directions should be issued to publish the voters list in a "text format as per rules" and expeditious decisions taken on all complaints before its final publication.

Singhvi said that text format was allowed in Rajasthan but the poll panel was not allowing it in Madhya Pradesh on the grounds of breach of privacy. "Providing the voters lists in text format is as per rules, then where is the question of breach of privacy."