Kasaragod: SC asks EC to check reports of EVMs registering ‘extra votes’ for BJP in mock polls

Kasaragod: SC asks EC to check reports of EVMs registering ‘extra votes’ for BJP in mock polls

Mangalore Today News Network

Kasaragod, April 18, 2024: The Supreme Court on Thursday, April 18, 2024, asked the Election Commission to look into media reports about four electronic voting machines having erroneously logged in votes in favour of BJP during mock polls held in Kerala.

 

The attention of Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta was drawn to the reports by advocate Prashant Bhushan.

The Bench is hearing petitions seeking 100% cross-verification of EVM votes with VVPAT slips. The petitioners, including Association for Democratic Reforms, have urged the court to allow voters physical access to the VVPAT slips to confirm the votes they have cast before putting the slips into the sealed ballot boxes. They have contended that the voters have a fundamental right to be confident about the accuracy of the votes they have cast.

The petitioners have voiced their apprehensions that EVMs could malfunction or malicious software could be uploaded, favouring the registration of votes in favour of a party, possibly the ruling one.

On Thursday, Mr. Bhushan said the four EVMs had reportedly malfunctioned in the mock polls held at Kasaragod district in Kerala on April 17.

The Bench asked senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the Election Commission, to “check it up”.

Regional media reports said the United Democratic Front (UDF) side and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate have both complained to the poll authorities about the EVMs, urging them to change the machines.