Swamy’s plea on voting machines disposed of
January 17th, 2012 - 1:38 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Jan 17 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Tuesday disposed of a plea of Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy that electronic voting machines (EVMs) were not tamper-free and needed rectification to ensure fair elections.
A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice A.K. Sikri, however, appreciated the suggestion made. The court said it cannot give any direction to the Election Commission for using the ballot paper system instead of EVMs to avoid tampering at the time of polls.
The Janata Party chief had submitted that either paper printouts should be incorporated in the EVMs or the Election Commission should return to the ballot paper system to avoid tampering.
“The Election Commission should at least provide paper receipts of the votes cast for the voter to verify,” Swamy had said before the division bench of Sikri and Justice R.S. Endlaw.
“This move would ensure that a vote cast is secured and the election is not rigged,” he said.
Swamy contended that in the poll process, transparency had to be given priority over efficiency.
He had explained that EVMs’ database was controlled by a computer chip and it was not tamper-proof. He had also cited examples of technologically advanced European nations which don’t use EVMs for the same reason.
- Order reserved on Swamy's plea on voting machines (Lead) - Jan 10, 2012
- Swamy's plea on EVMs disposed of (Second Lead) - Jan 17, 2012
- Swamy's plea on voting machines dismissed (Lead) - Jan 17, 2012
- Voting machines will soon give paper receipt: Official - Jan 20, 2012
- Don't use EVMs in Assam: AGP - Jan 22, 2012
- New voting machine with paper trail tested - Jul 26, 2011
- Poll panel asked to respond to plea on EVM standards - Sep 23, 2009
- Sena wants ballot paper voting in civic elections - Mar 28, 2011
- EVMs are tamper-proof, says poll panel - Jul 05, 2009
- Assam political parties favour polls before mid-April (Lead) - Feb 02, 2011
- Political distrust of voting machines reaches apex court - Jul 10, 2009
- New voting machines found perfect: Election Commission - Jul 28, 2011
- Subramanian Swamy approaches court for replacing EVMs - Sep 22, 2009
- Your vote would soon get printed as proof: Poll panel chief - Feb 04, 2011
- Rajnath slams UPA for silence over activist's arrest - Aug 28, 2010
Tags: ballot paper, chief justice, computer chip, delhi high court, division bench, efficiency, election commission, electronic voting machines, evms, New Delhi, paper printouts, party chief, party president, plea, priority, proof, receipts, rectification, subramanian swamy, transparency