Yechury bats for paper audit trail

The CPM took on the government for not releasing enough funds for the Election Commission to procure paper trail facility for Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said EVMs are inviting repeated complaints from across parties, reminding that even senior BJP leader L K Advani had remarked that it was the “death-knell for democracy” after the party’s defeat in the 2009 elections. Yechury told reporters that his party had 10 years ago suggested the need for attaching Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system, and in case of dispute, the paper ballots could be counted.
The VVPAT is a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballot-less voting system.

Under VVPAT, a printer-like apparatus is linked to EVM and when a vote is cast, a receipt is generated and it confirms the vote and the voter can verify the details.

Yechury said 10% of the EVMs have been attached with VVPAT, but it has not been done for the whole system despite years passing by.

“Mysteriously, since the Modi government assumed office, funding for VVPAT has stopped,” Yechury charged. He also referred to reports about Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking release of funds, saying such a situation shows that the CEC is “exasperated”.

SC to hear PIL on EVMs
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a plea seeking a probe into the allegations of tampering with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during polls, including the recent Assembly elections in five states, reports DHNS.

A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice J S Khehar posted for hearing on March 24 the PIL filed by advocate M L Sharma.