Supreme Court Moves Plea By Congress Leader Karan Singh Dalal Over EVM Verification Guidelines

The petition filed by Congress leader Karan Singh Dalal will be heard by the bench of Justice Dipankar Dutta. The matter initially filed in the same bench was reassigned after being sent by the bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjeev Khanna. The case is set to be heard after January 20.

Karan Singh Dalal Seeks EVM Verification Guidelines

Dalal, a five-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), has called on the Election Commission to issue guidelines for the investigation and verification of the memory of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). His petition seeks to enforce the Supreme Court’s previous ruling in the Association for Democratic Reforms vs. Union of India case.

Dalal and his colleague, Karan Singh Singla, clarified that the petition does not challenge the election results. Instead, it demands the creation of a robust mechanism for EVM verification. They also asked for a deadline of eight weeks for its completion.

Highlights From The Petition

The petition highlights the potential threat to the integrity of the democratic process. It also emphasizes the importance of swift resolution, particularly in light of upcoming state elections.

Furthermore, the petition accuses the Election Commission of failing to issue a procedure for checking the components of EVMs, as mandated by the Supreme Court. This suggests the Commission’s reluctance to subject itself to investigation.

The controversy stems from Congress’s complaint to the Election Commission, alleging tampering of EVMs during the Haryana election vote count. Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed that discrepancies were found in the EVMs for 26 seats.

However, the Election Commission dismissed these allegations labelling them as baseless, incorrect, and factually unsupported. The Commission’s response warned that such unfounded claims could incite unrest and chaos during sensitive electoral processes.

In its reply, the Election Commission advised Congress to be cautious in making allegations. The Commission further emphasized that it is an autonomous constitutional body, stressing the importance of avoiding unwarranted attacks on the electoral process.

As the case progresses, all eyes will be on the upcoming hearings, where the future of EVM verification procedures and election transparency may be at stake.

Also Read: Rouse Avenue Court Issues New Summon To BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj In Defamation Case