File picture of polling officers sealing VVPAT and EVM. , Photograph Credit score: ANI
The Maharashtra State Election Fee on Wednesday (November 19, 2025) instructed the Bombay Excessive Courtroom (HC) that using VVPAT machines was not obligatory for native physique polls, and it was additionally not technically possible.
The fee filed an affidavit opposing a petition filed by Congress chief Prafulla Gudadhe earlier than the Nagpur bench of the HC, difficult its choice to not use VVPAT within the upcoming native physique elections in Maharashtra.
Mr. Gudadhe, in his plea, mentioned the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Path (VVPAT) system was important for a clear election course of.
Throughout the listening to on Wednesday (November 19), a bench headed by Justice Anil Kilor sought to know the explanation for not utilizing VVPAT machines particularly when a Supreme Courtroom judgment mentioned using VVPAT was a should.
The fee’s lawyer instructed the court docket that the SC judgment utilized solely to the final elections, and never native physique polls.
VVPAT machines weren’t used in the course of the 2017 municipal polls too, he identified.
The fee, in its affidavit, mentioned native physique Acts, which govern municipal elections, don’t mandate using VVPAT.
There are additionally problems with technical feasibility of designing and manufacturing a VVPAT machine which can be utilized for multi-member and multi-post EVMs, it mentioned.
The Parliamentary and Meeting elections are single-member, single-post elections the place just one candidate is chosen by a voter, and the EVMs utilized by the Election Fee are particularly designed for that goal, the affidavit mentioned.
Village Panchayats, Municipal Councils and Municipal Companies are multi-member, multi-post constituencies, it added.
The bench posted the matter for additional listening to on Thursday (November 20).
The primary spherical of native physique elections in Maharashtra can be held on December 2.
In his petition filed by advocates Pawan Dahat and Nihal Singh Rathod, Gudadhe mentioned if the SEC was not going to make use of the VVPAT, the polls ought to be held utilizing poll papers. VVPAT is an impartial system connected to an Digital Voting Machine (EVM), permitting voters to confirm that their votes are forged as meant.
The petition urged the HC to direct the SEC to carry the upcoming native physique polls by poll papers or quash the fee’s choice to not use VVPAT machines.
He additionally sought the court docket to restrain the SEC from utilizing EVMs with out VVPAT machines in any election.
The suitable to vote is a basic proper, and each citizen has the best to know if his or her vote has been rightly forged, the plea mentioned.
Revealed – November 19, 2025 06:15 pm IST