The
Supreme Court of India on 8 October 2013 directed the Election Commission of
India to introduce Vote Verifier Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system
in EVMs in phased manner for the next general elections in 2014.
The Supreme Court also directed
the Centre to provide financial assistance for introducing Vote Verifier Paper
Audit Trail (VVPAT) system. The Supreme Court bench also stated that VVPAT in
EVMs will ensure free and fair polls and will help in sorting out disputes.
The poll panel had also informed
the SC bench that VVPAT can be introduced in a phased manner and cited
administrative and financial reasons for it. It had stated 13 lakh VVPAT
machines would be needed for general elections.
The Election Commission had
stated approximately 1500 crore Rupees would be required for procuring VVPAT
and installing it at all polling booths across the country for 2014 Lok Sabha
polls and there are only two state-owned companies Bharat Electronic Ltd (BEL)
and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) which manufacture the
machines.
The Election Commission had
earlier informed the court that VVPAT was successfully and satisfactorily
utilised at 21 polling stations in Nagaland during the Assembly elections in
February 2013.
The Supreme Court's order came
on a plea of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy seeking a direction to the Election
Commission to ensure EVMs have a paper trail and issue a receipt to each voter.
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