2024 Lok Sabha Election: Supreme Court’s 3rd Order Recommends Significant Voting Process Change

The landmark judgment issued by the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission, a constitutional body, to make the election process and EVM machines worthy of voters’ confidence. This was the third time the court had issued such instructions, with previous orders issued in 2013 to make VVPAT machines mandatory and in 2019 to mandate the tallying of VVPAT slips in five polling booths in each assembly constituency. In the judgment, Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Dutta highlighted the benefits of EVMs and provided suggestions to ensure a free and fair election process.

They emphasized the checks and balances in place for EVM usage and issued two directions to further strengthen the integrity of the election process. These directions involved sealing the Symbol Loading Unit after the completion of the symbol loading process and allowing candidates to request a check of the EVMs within seven days of the declaration of results. The court also reiterated the suitability of EVMs for a massive nation like India, citing their ability to eliminate booth capturing, reduce invalid votes, minimize errors, and provide administrative convenience.

The judges stated that EVMs are simple, secure, and user-friendly, and highlighted the effectiveness of tallying VVPAT slips with votes cast by electors. They dismissed the idea of reverting to the paper ballot system, asserting that it would be regressive and burden the Election Commission with the onerous task of 100% VVPAT slips tallying. The judges emphasized that the challenges faced in conducting elections are of gargantuan scale and indicated that the EVMs have effectively addressed these challenges.

Overall, the judgment underscores the court’s commitment to ensuring the integrity of the electoral process and highlights the advantages of EVMs in the context of India’s electoral system.