Congress Denies Involvement in VVPAT Petition, Counters PM Modi’s Remark

In Short

• Congress says it was not a party to petition on VVPATs
• Reminds PM Modi of electoral bonds verdict
• Supreme Court has rejected pleas seeking 100% EVM-VVPAT verification

Following the Supreme Court’s rejection of pleas to mandate the tallying of all Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the Congress clarified that it was not party to the petition.

The verdict prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to characterize it as a “tight slap” on the Opposition, to which Congress leader Jairam Ramesh responded by invoking the Supreme Court’s ruling on the electoral bonds scheme.

In a statement shared on social media platform X, Ramesh emphasized, “The Indian National Congress was not a party, directly or indirectly, to the petition on VVPATs which has been rejected by the Supreme Court today.”

This clarification came in response to PM Modi’s remarks and aimed to distance the Congress from the legal challenge.

In a sharp retort to PM Modi’s characterization of the verdict, Ramesh referenced the Supreme Court’s previous ruling on the electoral bonds scheme. He highlighted the Court’s condemnation of the scheme as not only illegal but also unconstitutional, characterizing it as a “spanking” for the Prime Minister.

Ramesh had previously raised concerns over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allegedly receiving a significant portion of donations through electoral bonds.

The electoral bonds scheme, which allowed for anonymous donations to political parties, was struck down by a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court in February.

The verdict marked a significant blow to the BJP, particularly in light of allegations regarding the source and transparency of donations.

Despite the setback in the VVPAT petition, the Congress reiterated its commitment to advocating for greater use of VVPATs to enhance public trust in the electoral process.

Ramesh affirmed this stance, stating, “We have taken note of the verdict of the two-judge bench and our political campaign on the greater use of VVPATs to increase public trust in the electoral process will continue.”

In addition to rejecting the pleas related to VVPATs, the Supreme Court also dismissed petitions calling for a return to ballot papers in elections.

The Court cautioned against “blindly distrusting” aspects of the electoral system, highlighting the importance of maintaining confidence in the electoral process.