Supreme Court points out disadvantages of ballot voting: VVPAT, EVM, and its knowledge of the issue.

The judge criticized the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and expressed concerns about their accuracy. He mentioned options such as returning to paper ballots or providing VVPAT slips to voters.

Another lawyer argued that votes cast on EVMs should be tallied with VVPAT slips, and the judge agreed, emphasizing the need for accurate results without human intervention. The issue of tampering with EVMs was also raised, with concerns about the lack of strict punishment for tampering and the need for a physical interface for voters to verify their votes.

There were discussions about the process of voting, the storage of EVMs, and counting of votes. The petitioners demanded cross-verification of every vote through VVPAT slips and sought the court’s direction to ensure that voters can verify their votes.

The petitions were filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and activist Arun Kumar Agarwal, with the ADR’s petition calling for the Election Commission and the Centre to ensure voters are able to verify their votes through VVPATs. The petition highlighted the failure of the ECI to provide a procedure for the voter to verify that their vote has been “counted as recorded,” as required for voter verifiability.

The judge questioned the use of public sector companies in making EVMs and indicated a potential hearing on the matter. The text discussed various aspects of the debate surrounding the use of EVMs and the need for transparency and verification in the voting process.