Justice Sanjiv Khanna

Supreme Court rejects return to paper ballots and full VVPAT count

In ADR v ECI, Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta turned down pleas to return to paper ballots, count all VVPAT slips or give voters the slip. They issued two directions. First, symbol loading units must be sealed and stored for 45 days after results. Second, candidates placed second or third can ask, within seven days of the result and at their own cost, for engineers to check the burnt memory of 5% of EVMs per assembly segment; the cost is refunded if tampering is found.

The judgment records that the petitioners did not allege motive or malice on the Commission's part. The directions applied to symbol loading done on or after 1 May 2024.

• TIER 1 · PRIMARYAssociation for Democratic Reforms v Election Commission of India, WP(C) 434 of 2023, 2024 INSC 341Supreme Court of India2024-04-26