On Tuesday, the Supreme Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought the reintroduction of paper ballots in place of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The PIL, filed by evangelist K A Paul, claimed that EVMs should be replaced due to concerns over potential tampering, particularly after electoral defeats.
Justice Vikram Nath, who was presiding over the two-judge bench, remarked that EVMs were often blamed for tampering only when a party loses an election. He cited examples of political leaders such as Chandrababu Naidu and Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who both alleged EVM tampering after their respective defeats, despite no evidence of such claims.
Paul, representing himself in court, argued that all democracies use paper ballots and criticized India’s reliance on EVMs. He claimed his PIL was backed by 180 retired bureaucrats and judges, as well as 18 political parties. He also claimed to have supported humanitarian efforts, including rescuing thousands of orphans and widows, and said that he had been an advisor to world leaders such as Prime Ministers and Presidents.
In his argument, Paul suggested that corruption in elections was a major reason for his push for paper ballots, referencing the Election Commission’s recent disclosure of seized election-related cash and citing Elon Musk’s statements questioning EVM security.
Despite Paul’s extensive argument, the bench, comprising Justice P. B. Varale and Justice Nath, dismissed the PIL. The Court upheld the credibility of EVMs, observing that such allegations of tampering lacked substantial evidence, and concluded that India’s electoral system should not be influenced by unsubstantiated claims.
