Supreme Court rejects PIL seeking independent audit of EVM software

The Supreme Court on Friday (September 22) declined to entertain a PIL seeking an independent audit of the software used in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) used by the Election Commission.

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said no actionable material had been shown to say the poll panel “acted in breach of constitutional mandate” in holding elections.

“The Election Commission is entrusted with the control over elections. Presently, the petitioner places no actionable material before this court to show that the poll panel has acted in breach of its constitutional mandate,” the Bench said.

“There is no material before us which casts doubt on EVMs,” the judges said.

Before filing the petition, petitioner Sunil Ahya urged the Election Commission to go for an independent audit of the source code of EVMs.

“The source code is the brain behind the EVM and it is about survival of democracy,” Ahya said.

(With agency inputs)