"Are EVMs only questioned when you lose?" Supreme Court dismisses petition calling for a return to ballot papers.
The Supreme Court of India rejected a petition to replace EVMs with ballot papers, noting that tampering allegations were only made by election losers. The court dismissed the petition, emphasizing inconsistency in claims and ruling that such arguments were not suitable for judicial discussion.
On Tuesday, November 26, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition seeking the replacement of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with ballot papers in elections. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and PB Varale observed that allegations of tampering were raised selectively, often only by those who lost elections.
The bench remarked, "When you win the election, EVMs are not tampered with. But when you lose, EVMs are suddenly tampered with."
The petition, filed by KA Paul, argued that reverting to ballot papers was essential "to save democracy." Paul also referenced claims by US billionaire Elon Musk, who stated that no EVM in the world was completely tamper-proof. Additionally, he cited statements by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy to bolster his argument.
However, the Supreme Court dismissed these claims, emphasizing that such arguments were not suitable for the court. Justice Nath commented, "When Chandrababu Naidu or Mr. Reddy lose elections, they claim EVMs are tampered with. But when they win, they remain silent. How can we consider this? This is not the platform for such debates." The court then rejected the petition.
Reference:WION news
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