SC to hear next week plea for cross-verification of votes with VVPAT

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it would hear next week a plea by an NGO seeking cross-verification of the votes cast in EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).

A bench headed by Justices Sanjiv Khanna said the plea will be listed next Tuesday or Wednesday after advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, said the matter should be heard urgently.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, also appearing in the matter, submitted that the elections are nearing and if the case is not heard, the plea would become infructuous.

Justice Khanna, who was sitting in a special bench along with Justice MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi, said the court is aware of the situation and would hear the matter next week.

"Mr. Bhushan, after all, how much time this matter will take. You can make submissions in two-hours and we will finish the matter. Ok. Next week," Justice Khanna said.

On July 17, last year, the top court has sought the response of the Election Commission of India on a plea filed by NGO 'Association for Democratic Reforms' (ADR).

In the petition, the NGO has sought direction to the poll panel and the Centre to ensure the voters are able to verify through VVPATs that their vote has been "counted as recorded".

The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls will begin on April 19.