Counting of VVPAT slips: SC permits week's time to Oppn leaders for filing reply on EC affidavit

The Supreme Court has asked 21 opposition leaders to file their replies on the Election Commission's affidavit on their plea regarding VVPAT slips in Lok Sabha polls within a week on Monday.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked 21 opposition leaders to file their reply on the Election Commission's affidavit on their plea regarding Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips in Lok Sabha polls within a week on April 1.

Opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu had requested that VVPAT slips of at least 50% of voting machines in each assembly constituency be checked randomly during upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked senior advocate A M Singhvi, representing Opposition leaders, to file the reply by next Monday.

The poll panel sought dismissal of the petition on Friday.

In its affidavit, the EC had asserted in the apex court that the opposition leaders have been unable to raise any ground for modifying the existing system of random counting of VVPAT slips from one polling booth per assembly segment, which was "found to be most suitable" after due studies and trials.