CUTTACK: Even as accusations of tampering with EVMs continue to surround the electronic voting system, the Orissa High Court has appointed a team of advocates to examine the use of EVMs in the Assembly and general elections. Treating a letter petition filed by Lokapriya Kunjabihari Rout, general secretary of Peasants and Labourers Party of India as PIL, a division bench, comprising Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice B N Mohapatra, appointed Government advocate Debasish Panda and additional Government advocate Bikram Nayak to assist the court and has also issued notice to the State Election Commission to file response within two weeks.The petitioner, while alleging that the EVMs were susceptible to tampering and manipulations by vested interests and pointing to the lack of knowledge of proper operation of such machines by a substantial chunk of the voters, had appealed for withdrawal of the EVMs from the voting system and reintroduction of ballots.The court has directed that both the advocates can take the assistance of qualified persons in the field of computer and electronics technology with regard to the functioning of the EVM in all aspects.The petitioner has sent the letter appealing to the court to direct withdrawal of EVM from voting system. He stated that the introduction of EVM during election was against the principles of democracy as most of the voters are illiterate and do not have the knowledge about such electronic device.Therefore, there is possibility of tampering with the machine before as well as after the election process, the petitioner added.It has been further stated that there should have been proper education and training regarding use of EVM and only thereafter introduced for general and other elections.
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