Supreme Court Advocates Data Integrity in EVM Verification

The Supreme Court has instructed the Election Commission of India not to erase or reload data during EVM verification, stressing the importance of maintaining data integrity. Congress MP Pramod Tiwari commends this stance amid ongoing legal proceedings, highlighting the need for expert examination to uncover the facts.

The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to maintain the integrity of data during the verification process of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), prohibiting any erasure or reloading of data. Congress MP Pramod Tiwari expressed approval of the court's directive, emphasizing the need to preserve evidence for transparency.

This directive comes amid ongoing litigation, as the apex court has asked the ECI to respond to petitions demanding verification of burnt memory units and symbol loading units within EVMs. A special bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, has set a 15-day deadline for the ECI's response, seeking clarification on their current verification procedures.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has raised concerns over the ECI's standard operating procedures, which they argue do not align with the 2024 judgement in the EVM-VVPAT case. The Supreme Court previously rejected reverting to paper ballots, asserting the security of EVMs, yet permitted verification requests under specific conditions.