Supreme Court issues notice to Election Commission on EVM tampering

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Election Commission on a PIL which sought a probe into efficacy of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and their correctness in recording votes. Advocate Manohar Lal Sharma had knocked the doors of the apex court after BSP leader Mayawati and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal doubted EVMs after their defeats in UP and Punjab respectively. The bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar however refused to issue a notice to the CBI even though Sharma had sought a CBI probe into EVM functioning. SHARMA'S PLEA The plea sought a probe into allegations of alleged tampering of EVMs during polls, including the recent Assembly elections in five states. Sharma had sought a direction to the EC and the Centre for probe into the allegations of EVM tampering and its possibility. The plea sought examination of the quality, software/malware and hacking effect in the EVMs from a reliable electronic lab/scientist and software expert and to file their report before this court for further action/prosecution. In his PIL, Sharma also sought a direction to the Centre for registering an FIR to probe the alleged tempering of EVMs for vested interest by the political party and to file their report before the apex court.