EVM tampering issue: SC wants Election Commission's reply in 4 weeks

PIL said that EVMs could be tampered and should be subjected to tests by a foreign expert

Even as the government has rubbished claims, the Supreme Court on Friday has issued a notice to the Election Commission on the alleged tampering of EVMs (Electronic voting machines) during the recent Assembly Elections in five states.

A bench of the Apex Court headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Jagdish Singh Khehar and also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and D. Y. Chandrachud, issued the notice over the petition filed by lawyer Manohar Lal Sharma

Sharma in his petition claimed that the recently concluded elections in the five states were allegedly tampered with in these Electronic Voting Machines and these machines should be checked thoroughly

He further claimed that American computer scientists should investigate the alleged tampering of EVMs

The Supreme Court, however, at this stage refused to pass any order for a CBI inquiry.

Politicians have openly alleged tampering of EWMs in the recently concluded assembly elections with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal leading the charge.

The government had on Thursday rubbished the claims, even as it promised all support to the Election Commission's endeavour of maximising the use of voting machines with paper trail, though in a phased manner.

However, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, while replying to a debate on electoral reforms in the Rajya Sabha, did not give a direct response to questions from the Opposition on the Rs 3,000 crore sought by the EC for having poll machines with paper trail adequate enough for the entire country. 

He slammed parties like the BSP, the SP and the Congress for raising questions over the EVMs against the backdrop of their defeat in the recent Uttar Pradesh polls. 

"If you win, then the EVMs are fine, but if you lose, then the EVMs are tampered. Wow! This is a great logic," he said.

While hitting out at the Opposition parties, he cited their poll victories earlier and asked why such questions over EVMs were not raised then. 

Members of the Congress, SP, BSP and Left staged a walkout, expressing dissatisfaction over the minister's reply. Prasad said these three parties had not been defeated by the EVMs but had been rejected by the people and they should accept this fact. 

The EVMs are "completely safe", he asserted, adding, "I don't buy this logic that EVMs have not done a good job. It is doing a very good job."