Explained: Supreme Court's 3rd Order On Voting Process Recommends Big Change

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Today's landmark judgment was the third time the top court had issued direction to the Election Commission -- another constitutional body -- to make the election process and the EVM machines worthy of voters' confidence.

The Supreme Court's massive vote of confidence to EVM machines today also came with a precautionary measure -- the sealing of a crucial part of VVPAT machines and enabling the first and second runners-up in an election to challenge the outcome without a lengthy legal process. The landmark judgment was the third time the top court had issued direction to the Election Commission -- another constitutional body -- to make the election process and the EVM machines worthy of voters' confidence.

Twice earlier, the Supreme Court had issued orders to strengthen the integrity of the election process -- once in 2013 when it made the installation of VVPAT (Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail) machines mandatory and in 2019 when it made tallying of VVPAT slips mandatory in five polling booths in each assembly constituency.

In the judgment, Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Dutta, while enumerating the multiple benefits of EVMs, suggested the shortcuts that would ensure a free and fair election process.