PIL in HC for inspecting paper slips of VVPAT EVMs used in 2019 Lok Sabha elections

A PIL has been moved in the Delhi High Court seeking directions to the Election Commission to inspect the paper slips of the VVPAT electronic voting machines (EVMs) of all constituencies in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The petition, by a person claiming to be a social worker, has sought inspection of the Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) EVMs claiming that according to the data put up by the EC on its website there was "discrepancy" in votes polled and votes counted in around 373 constituencies.

Petitioner Hans Raj Jain has contended that the EC had got Rs 3,173.47 crore released from the government to purchase 16,15,000 VVPAT EVMs for bringing transparency in election process.

The petition claims that the alleged "great discrepancy" in number of votes polled and counted at majority of the constituencies "creates doubt" in the minds of voters, including the petitioner, that the EVMs were tampered with.

Apart from inspection of paper trails of the general assembly polls, the plea has sought directions to the EC to ensure that in future the paper slips are also counted.