Blind distrust impedes progress: SC on VVPAT

April 26, 2024 16:11

Democracy is all about striving to build harmony and trust among all its pillars through open dialogue, transparency in processes and continuous improvement of the system by active participation in democratic practices, Supreme Court judge Dipankar Datta said on Friday.

Justice Datta, who was part of the apex court bench which rejected pleas seeking complete cross-verification of votes cast using EVMs with a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), said regressive measures to revert to paper ballots or any alternative to the EVMs that does not adequately safeguard the interests of Indian citizens have to be eschewed.

Penning his views in a separate judgement while concurring with the opinion of Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who was heading the bench, Justice Datta said the issue of doubting the efficacy of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) has been previously raised before the top court and it is imperative that such issue is concluded definitively now.

"Going forward, unless substantial evidence is presented against the EVMs, the current system will have to persist with enhancements," he said.

Justice Datta observed that while maintaining a balanced perspective is crucial in evaluating systems or institutions, "blindly distrusting any aspect of the system can breed unwarranted scepticism and impede progress".

He said a critical yet constructive approach, guided by evidence and reason, should be followed to make room for meaningful improvements and to ensure the system's credibility and effectiveness.

"Be it the citizens, the judiciary, the elected representatives, or even the electoral machinery, democracy is all about striving to build harmony and trust between all its pillars through open dialogue, transparency in processes, and continuous improvement of the system by active participation in democratic practices," he said.

Justice Datta said our approach should be guided by evidence and reason to allow space for meaningful improvements. "By nurturing a culture of trust and collaboration, we can strengthen the foundations of our democracy and ensure that the voices and choices of all citizens are valued and respected. With each pillar fortified, our democracy stands robust and resilient," he said.

"I conclude with the hope and trust that the system in vogue shall not fail the electorate and the mandate of the voting public shall be truly reflected in the votes cast and counted," Justice Datta observed.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

IPL PIX: Spirited RCB knock out CSK; qualify for play-offs!

A spirited performance from their bowlers saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru outclass Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs to qualify for the play-offs.

Banking industry doyen N Vaghul dies at 88

Veteran banker N Vaghul, who led the transformation of ICICI into a private sector lender, died on Saturday afternoon due to health complications. He was 88. Vaghul took over the reins of ICICI, then a public finance institution, in...

Northwest India swelters under extreme heat as mercury breaches 45 deg C mark

The Met office has issued a "red" warning for Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and west Rajasthan, stressing the need for "extreme care for vulnerable people".

Will come to BJP HQ, jail whoever you want: Kejriwal dares Modi

Kejriwal asserted that his party could not be crushed by sending its leaders to jail.

Performance is my only currency: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli says he doesn't need either approval or assurance from anyone on his capability.