Swaraj Abhiyan demands usage of VVPAT in the upcoming #MCD elections
Swaraj Abhiyan demands usage of VVPAT in the upcoming MCD elections
Swaraj Abhiyan is committed to Electoral reforms in order to make the people of India meet their political and democratic aspirations. To ensure fullest transparency in the system Swaraj Abhiyan demands to conduct the forthcoming elections to the Municipal Corporations of Delhi on EVMs with VVPAT.
It is known fact in the case of Dr Subramaniam Swamy Vs Election Commission of India (Civil Appeal 9093 of 2013 ), the Supreme Court of India has made the following observation at para 29 of the judgment as :
“….we are satisfied that the “paper trail” is an indispensable requirement of free and fair elections. The confidence of the voters in the EVMs can be achieved only with the introduction of the “paper trail”. EVMs with VVPAT system ensure the accuracy of the voting system. With an intent to have fullest transparency in the system and to restore the confidence of the voters, it is necessary to set up EVMs with VVPAT system because vote is nothing but an act of expression which has immense importance in democratic system.”
Although, the State Election Commission(SEC) of Delhi was not a party to that case, nevertheless the observations of the honb’le Supreme Court apply equally well to the State Election Commission of Delhi as much as they apply to the Election Commission of India(ECI). The ECI has already been introducing EVMs with VVPAT in various elections since 2013. Swaraj Abhiyan expects complete transparency in the casting and counting of votes in the forthcoming corporation elections. The Supreme Court itself as highlighted above admits that the confidence of voters can be achieved with introduction of “paper trail”.
Swaraj Abhiyan demands to the State Election Commission of Delhi to publish a press release on this matter confirming that all polling booths in the forthcoming corporation elections will have EVMs with VVPAT. We can’t afford to let doubts cloud over people’s faith in democratic processes and institutions.
Swaraj Abhiyan has demanded the Delhi State Election Commission(SEC) to ensure that there is no booth in any ward in the 3 corporations which does not have VVPAT.