National Desk
12 February
Ludhiana
Sandeep Dhand
The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding a petition that demands verification of burnt (destructed) memory and symbol loading units (SLU) of electronic voting machines (EVMs).
A special bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Dutta, has directed the ECI not to erase, destroy, or reload data in the EVMs during the verification process. This decision follows a previous judgment of the Supreme Court.
The petition was filed by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which has raised concerns about the transparency and security of EVMs. ADR has requested that the ECI check and verify the burnt memory/micro-controllers and SLUs of the EVMs to ensure that the voting process remains fair and tamper-proof.
EVMs play a crucial role in the Indian electoral process, and their credibility has been a topic of debate for years. ADR’s plea emphasizes the need for an independent verification process to address concerns related to data security. The petitioners believe that examining the burnt memory and symbol loading units will help ensure that no external influence affects the election results.
The Supreme Court has directed the ECI to submit a detailed response within 15 days, explaining the entire process of handling EVM memory and symbol loading. The matter is scheduled for further hearing in the week commencing March 3.
The case has drawn attention from political parties, activists, and voters, who see it as a crucial step toward electoral transparency. The outcome of the hearing may influence future electoral procedures and the use of EVMs in Indian elections.