The Election Commission has reversed its 2019 rule, making it mandatory that postal ballots must be counted before the final EVM rounds to ensure transparency and fairness.
The Delhi High Court has postponed the Shahdara Bar Association elections from May 9 to May 25 due to safety concerns. The Court has mandated security measures at the Karkardooma Court and stated that only one representative from each candidate may attend the vote counting, ensuring orderly conduct during elections.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have revolutionized India’s electoral process, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and accuracy in voting. From their initial trials to complete implementation in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, EVMs have undergone multiple technological advancements and the various judicial precedents have dealt with the constitutional validity of the same.
NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leaders have approached the Supreme Court. They have filed a petition requesting that the Election Commission of India (ECI) be directed to upload Form 17C on its official website immediately after polling concludes.Form 17C provides important details about the number of votes cast at each polling station. The public interest litigation (PIL) also seeks an urgent interim order from the Supreme Court, directing the Election Commission to upload Form 17C for the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 and all future elections without delay.
Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud dismissed opposition concerns about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), reaffirming their validity as upheld by the Supreme Court. He emphasized the need to trust judicial decisions. The Supreme Court recently reinforced EVMs’ advantages, urging against a return to paper ballots, citing their security and simplicity in the voting process.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar dismissed Elon Musk’s claims that Indian Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) can be hacked, stating they are tamper-proof and not connected to any network, unlike some systems in the U.S. The Election Commission and the Supreme Court have repeatedly confirmed the reliability and security of India’s EVMs, labeling such allegations as baseless.
The Election Commission of India has rejected allegations of EVM tampering and voter list manipulation ahead of the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar emphasized EVM reliability and transparency in voter list preparations, countering claims by various political parties. He assured adherence to due processes and public availability of relevant data.
The Supreme Court Today (Dec 20) said the plea seeking a policy for verification of electronic voting machines- EVM will be heard by a bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta in January next year. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said the fresh plea of former Haryana minister and five-time MLA Karan Singh Dalal and one Lakhan Kumar Singla on the issue will be heard by a bench headed by Justice Datta in the week commencing January 20, 2025.
Today, On 2nd November, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna will hear a PIL against the Election Commission’s decision to raise the maximum voter count per polling booth from 1,200 to 1,500. Petitioner Indu Prakash Singh argues this could lead to overcrowding and marginalization of disadvantaged groups, prolonging voting times and reducing turnout.
The Supreme Court Today (Nov 26) dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking the reintroduction of the physical/ paper ballot voting system in elections, along with several other electoral reforms. A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and PB Varale found little weight in the petitioner’s argument that even leaders like Chandrababu Naidu and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had questioned Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering.