DNA Edit: EC takes a stand – Democracy is no punching bag for those who lose polls

Weeks before the general election, the familiar grouse against electronic voting machines (EVM) has come to the fore. Despite every single serving and former chief election commissioner — selected by successive Congress and BJP governments — repeating ad nauseam that the machines cannot be tampered with, some politicians think it is worth their while to make capital out of a non-issue. Whether it is to stay in the news or a genuine fear of the ruling party returning to power, cannot be said with any degree of certainty. 

The Election Commission (EC) has finally put its foot down. In an affidavit, it has told the Supreme Court that they are the ultimate decision-making authority on elections and would not countenance directives from any political party or person. It was responding to a petition filed by 21 opposition parties seeking random verification of at least 50 per cent of EVMs using voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) in each assembly or segment or constituency. The Commission had earlier rejected a demand for a similar verification in at least 30 per cent randomly chosen polling stations in each Assembly and Lok Sabha constituency. Political parties have claimed, particularly after BJP’s win in 2014, that EVMs are susceptible to tampering. VVPAT machines, attached to EVMs, display the name of the candidate and their symbol on a piece of paper after a vote is cast. 

The voter can see the paper through a glass display for seven seconds before it drops into a sealed container to ensure that the vote has gone to the intended candidate. The Commission has taken the view that the necessity for counting the printed paper slips would only arise if there is any discrepancy between the results as shown by the EVM and as reflected on the printer paper slip. It also found it untenable that any political party should direct it to go about its affairs, apart from the fact that such a large verification would not just be time-consuming, but also a burden on the state exchequer. In other words, out of the 87 crore voters, a 30 per cent random check would mean counting 26 crore VVPAT slips - an exercise that in view of the Commission, is futile. The EC must be lauded for taking a firm stand on this subject, particularly when the neutrality of the EVMs and the chances of its non-manipulation, has been proved beyond any reasonable doubt. 

In 2013, the apex court had observed that there was no need for a mandatory count of VVPAT printed slips “in respect of all polling stations”. The not-so-curious part of the EVM story is that political parties who do well in any Assembly or Lok Sabha poll, forget to raise the subject of EVM tampering, but no sooner do they lose elections, that the issue comes back with a bang. The Commission is right in observing that if they entertain one such petition, it would be opening the floodgates to several frivolous pleas. It is un-advisable to raise questions on the efficacy of conducting elections in India. Democracy cannot be allowed to become a punching bag for those who lose elections.