In a unique turn of events, the Supreme Court today dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Evangelist Dr. KA Paul, who sought the reintroduction of physical ballot paper voting in Indian elections. A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice PB Varale presided over the case.
During the hearing, Dr. Paul argued, “Even Elon Musk has said that EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) can be tampered with.” Referring to global practices, he mentioned that most countries, including the United States, have opted for physical voting systems. “We are protecting democracy,” he said passionately, adding that the majority of countries follow the physical ballot system and India should consider this as well.
Justice Nath interjected with a pointed question, “Why should we follow other countries?” to which Dr. Paul countered by saying, “Democracy cannot work without trust. Today, on Constitution Day, I urge this court to take a stand for transparency.”
Among Dr. Paul’s additional prayers were:
Disqualification of candidates for at least five years if caught distributing liquor or money.
A comprehensive policy to curb the use of money and liquor during elections.
Introduction of voting education programs to increase voter participation.
Establishing investigative mechanisms to scrutinize funds received by political parties.
A robust strategy to prevent election-related violence.
Dr. Paul also stated that 18 political parties supported his plea and cited Election Commission reports of seizing around ₹9,000 crores during elections. Referring to instances in Andhra Pradesh, he said that political leaders like Chandrababu Naidu and Jagan Reddy have also raised concerns about EVM tampering.
However, Justice Nath dismissed the arguments, stating, “When political leaders lose, they claim EVMs are tampered; when they win, they don’t say anything. This court cannot entertain such speculative claims.”
The bench ultimately concluded that the PIL lacked substantial merit and dismissed it, bringing the hearing to an end.
