Eight Petitions Were Filed in SC & HCs to Match VVPAT Slips with EVM Votes for 2024 Elections

New Delhi- Eight petitions were filed in 2024 demanding a match between Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips and Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) votes, according to information shared in Parliament on Friday. These petitions were filed in the Supreme Court and various High Courts across the country.

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, stated that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has confirmed that a mandatory verification of VVPAT slips is conducted after every election. This verification is carried out randomly for five polling stations per Assembly constituency/segment, as per the Supreme Court's April 8, 2019, order in the N. Chandrababu Naidu versus Union of India case. This mandatory verification does not require any deposit, and the ECI has confirmed that it has been conducted in all elections held in 2024.

The Minister also addressed questions regarding the evaluation of government and government-empanelled lawyers. He explained that a system of In-charge litigation is in place, with all courts and tribunals submitting monthly reports on case allocation and the performance of panel counsel to the Department of Legal Affairs.

Additionally, feedback and complaints from ministries and departments regarding the performance of panel counsel are reviewed. If any shortcomings are found, the counsel is removed from the panel.