In the VVPAT case: Two major directions of the Supreme Court on EVM, symbol unit

Two major directions

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court rejected the application seeking 100% verification of votes cast in he EVMs using her required VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail). did. .
New Delhi: In a significant development this morning, the Supreme Court has given major confidence to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) as voting takes place in the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The two-judge bench dismissed a petition seeking 100 per cent verification of votes cast in EVMs using VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail).
“We discuss all protocols and technical aspects in detail and reject all causes of action. Blind distrust of the system can lead to unwarranted suspicion” – Dipankar Dutta Justice Sanjiv Khanna said while rejecting the request to return to paper voting.
However, the court issued two instructions to the Election Commission in this regard.

Supreme Court Directions on VVPAT and EVM

The first was that after completion of symbol loading into the machine, the SLU or symbol loading unit must be sealed and stored for at least 45 days.

Specifically, the court stated: “Once the symbol loading process on the EVM is completed, which will occur after June 1st (the final stage of the investigation), the SLU should be sealed and secured.

SLU storage containers should be sealed and secured and the seal must be signed by the candidate.
“The sealed container containing the SLU must be kept by him in the storage room along with the EVM for at least 45 days after the declaration of the results,” the court said.
Second, if a candidate created such an application, he would have to have the burned-in memory of the EVM microcontroller EVM checked by a team of engineers after the results were announced.

This application can be made by those who placed second and third in the election, but must be made within seven days of the announcement of the results, the court said.
The cost of this examination must be borne by the candidate. However, if the EVM is found to have been tampered with, the cost will be refunded.
The Supreme Court also suggested the Election Commission to consider the possibility of using machines for tabulating VVPAT slips. Currently, her VVPAT reception from five randomly selected his-her EVMs in each assembly segment is verified.

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