The top court directed that from May 1, last year, the symbol loading units should be sealed and secured in a container and stored in a strongroom along with the EVMs for a minimum of 45 days post-declaration of results.ADR in a fresh plea, said the standard operating procedure of the poll panel for verification of the EVMs was not in accordance with the 2024 judgement passed on its petition in the EVM-VVPAT case.On Tuesday, the bench asked the poll panel on the erasure and reloading of polling data.The bench said the judgement did not mandate such actions but merely required verification of the EVMs by an engineer of the manufacturing company.”What we intended was that, if after the polls somebody asks, the engineer should come and certify that, according to him, in their presence, there is no tampering in any of the burnt memory or microchips. That’s all. Why do you erase the data?” asked the CJI.He went on, “We didn’t want such a detailed process that you reload something. Do not erase the data, do not reload the data, all you need to do is have someone verify and examine.”The bench also raised concerns over the cost of verification set by the EC after being informed that Rs 40,000 was charged for verifying one EVM.”Reduce the cost of 40,000, that’s too high,” it said.Seeking the poll panel’s response, the bench recorded its assurance that no modification or correction of EVM data would take place during the verification process.”Mr Singh (ECI counsel) states that they will clarify the position by filing a short affidavit explaining the procedure adopted by them. He also states they won’t be doing any modification/correction of the data,” it said.
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