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The Supreme Court Monday directed the Election Commission (EC) to reply by March 28 if it can increase the number of samples in its VVPAT survey from one in each assembly segment for the upcoming general and assembly elections.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta sought the response of the poll panel by 4 pm on March 28 and directed it to apprise whether the number of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) samples can be increased for the satisfaction of the electorate.

The bench indicated that it wanted the number of VVPAT survey samples to be increased, saying it was not the question of ‘casting aspersions” rather it was a matter of “satisfaction”.

“No institution shall insulate itself from suggestions… There is a room for improvement in everything,” the bench said, adding that it was not casting any aspersion on the existing system but would like that the EC consider increasing the samples.

The bench has now posted for April 1 the plea of 21 opposition leaders, led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, seeking that VVPAT slips of at least 50 per cent voting machines in each assembly seat be checked randomly in the Lok Sabha elections.

The leaders from six national and 15 regional parties, claiming to represent 70-75 per cent of the population, have also sought the setting aside of the EC guideline on random verification of one assembly seat.

The parties include the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Aam Aadmi Party, CPI (Marxist), CPI, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Loktantrik Janata Dal and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

The plea had referred to the 1975 verdict of the apex court in the case of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi which held that free and fair elections are part of the basic structure of the Constitution of India.

It had also referred to the 2013 verdict of apex court in the case of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy where it was held that paper trail for EVMs are an “indispensable requirement” for free and fair elections.

The plea had further stated that the directions are being sought for giving effect to the judgment of this court declaring VVPAT as “integral and intrinsic to free and fair elections which, in turn are part of the basic structure of the Constitution of India”.

The parties had raised apprehensions in a meeting with the EC in February about the credibility of EVMs, although the poll panel has denied allegations of machines being tampered with.

The EC, while announcing the Lok Sabha election schedule, had said that mandatory checking of EVMs and VVPAT will be done on the basis of one polling station for each Lok Sabha constituency.

Earlier, Kamal Nath and Sachin Pilot last year had approached the apex court for conducting VVPAT verification at least 10 per cent of randomly selected polling booths in each assembly constituency to ensure free and fair elections in MP and Rajasthan last year.

However, the apex court, which was dealing with other poll issues ahead of the assembly polls in MP and Rajasthan had refused to go into the VVPAT issue in its judgement delivered on October 12, 2018 saying these issues were dealt by the apex court in earlier petitions and orders have been passed.

The Supreme Court Monday directed the Election Commission (EC) to reply by March 28 if it can increase the number of samples in its VVPAT survey from one in each assembly segment for the upcoming general and assembly elections.

The Supreme Court Monday directed the Election Commission (EC) to reply by March 28 if it can increase the number of samples in its VVPAT survey from one in each assembly segment for the upcoming general and assembly elections. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta sought the response of the poll panel by 4 pm on March 28 and directed it to apprise whether the number of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) samples can be increased for the satisfaction of the electorate. The bench indicated that it wanted the number of VVPAT survey samples to be increased, saying it was not the question of ‘casting aspersions” rather it was a matter of “satisfaction”. “No institution shall insulate itself from suggestions… There is a room for improvement in everything,” the bench said, adding that it was not casting any aspersion on the existing system but would like that the EC consider increasing the samples. The bench has now posted for April 1 the plea of 21 opposition leaders, led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, seeking that VVPAT slips of at least 50 per cent voting machines in each assembly seat be checked randomly in the Lok Sabha elections. The leaders from six national and 15 regional parties, claiming to represent 70-75 per cent of the population, have also sought the setting aside of the EC guideline on random verification of one assembly seat. The parties include the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Aam Aadmi Party, CPI (Marxist), CPI, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Loktantrik Janata Dal and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The plea had referred to the 1975 verdict of the apex court in the case of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi which held that free and fair elections are part of the basic structure of the Constitution of India. It had also referred to the 2013 verdict of apex court in the case of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy where it was held that paper trail for EVMs are an “indispensable requirement” for free and fair elections. The plea had further stated that the directions are being sought for giving effect to the judgment of this court declaring VVPAT as “integral and intrinsic to free and fair elections which, in turn are part of the basic structure of the Constitution of India”. The parties had raised apprehensions in a meeting with the EC in February about the credibility of EVMs, although the poll panel has denied allegations of machines being tampered with. The EC, while announcing the Lok Sabha election schedule, had said that mandatory checking of EVMs and VVPAT will be done on the basis of one polling station for each Lok Sabha constituency. Earlier, Kamal Nath and Sachin Pilot last year had approached the apex court for conducting VVPAT verification at least 10 per cent of randomly selected polling booths in each assembly constituency to ensure free and fair elections in MP and Rajasthan last year. However, the apex court, which was dealing with other poll issues ahead of the assembly polls in MP and Rajasthan had refused to go into the VVPAT issue in its judgement delivered on October 12, 2018 saying these issues were dealt by the apex court in earlier petitions and orders have been passed.

Can VVPATs be increased for satisfaction of electorate? SC asks poll panel to respond by March 28

Lok Sabha <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/2019-lok-sabha-elections-check-when-your-state-ut-goes-to-the-polls-202410">elections 2019</a> will begin on April 11 and continue for over a month till May 19 across seven phases, followed by counting of votes on May 23, the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-polls-to-stretch-out-for-over-a-month-from-april-11-to-may-19-results-on-may-23-202404">Election Commission</a> announced on Sunday.

The polling will be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 for 543 Lok Sabha seats across the country in which nearly 90 crore voters would be eligible to vote, the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said at a packed press conference here.

Out of nearly 90 crore voter in India over 1.5 crore electors are in 18-19 years age group.&nbsp;

"The total electorate in the country as per finally published e-rolls in January 2019 is approximately 900 million compared to 814.5 million in 2014. This marks an increase of more than 84 million electors. Over 15 million electors are in 18-19 years age group. Electors in the age group of 18 to 19 years constitute 1.66 per cent of total electors," the Election Commission said on Sunday.&nbsp;

In 2014, BJP had won 282 seats out of 543 constituencies in Lok Sabha handing a crushing defeat to the 10-year-rule of the United Progressive Alliance led by Congress.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek to retain power, the opposition is seeking to put up a spirited fight to defeat the ruling BJP.

Lok Sabha elections 2019 will begin on April 11 and continue for over a month till May 19 across seven phases, followed by counting of votes on May 23, the Election Commission announced on Sunday.

Lok Sabha elections 2019 will begin on April 11 and continue for over a month till May 19 across seven phases, followed by counting of votes on May 23, the Election Commission announced on Sunday. The polling will be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 for 543 Lok Sabha seats across the country in which nearly 90 crore voters would be eligible to vote, the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said at a packed press conference here. Out of nearly 90 crore voter in India over 1.5 crore electors are in 18-19 years age group. "The total electorate in the country as per finally published e-rolls in January 2019 is approximately 900 million compared to 814.5 million in 2014. This marks an increase of more than 84 million electors. Over 15 million electors are in 18-19 years age group. Electors in the age group of 18 to 19 years constitute 1.66 per cent of total electors," the Election Commission said on Sunday. In 2014, BJP had won 282 seats out of 543 constituencies in Lok Sabha handing a crushing defeat to the 10-year-rule of the United Progressive Alliance led by Congress. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek to retain power, the opposition is seeking to put up a spirited fight to defeat the ruling BJP.

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Over 1.5 crore voters of the total electorate in 18-19 age group

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