As 89 Lok Sabha seats across 13 states vote in the second phase of the parliamentary elections on Friday, one of the biggest political stories of the day could come from the Supreme Court. A Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta is scheduled to pronounce its verdict on a batch of pleas seeking the complete cross-verification of votes cast using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails, or VVPATs. The VVPAT machine is attached to the ballot unit of the EVM and provides visual verification for a voter's vote by printing a slip of paper with the voter’s choice on it. This is later used to verify votes cast in five randomly selected polling booths per Assembly segment. The Opposition has been demanding that all VVPAT slips be cross-checked with the EVM votes. In context: In recent years, questions have been raised time and again on the integrity of EVMs and the demand to count 100% VVPAT slips is because those in favour of it believe it will make the voting process more transparent. In 2019, when TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu moved the Supreme Court demanding that 50% randomised VVPAT slips be counted — after these proceedings, the court increased the number of polling booths in which the votes would be verified from one to five — the EC had argued it would delay results by five to six days. In December, the Opposition INDIA alliance, which includes the Congress, the CPI(M), the CPI, the Trinamool Congress, the DMK, and the Samajwadi Party, passed a resolution demanding 100% verification of VVPAT slips. They argue that ensuring everyone believes in the fairness of the electoral process outweighs the concerns of a delay in declaring the results. Recommended reading: Why VVPAT was brought in, why Opposition wants all slips verified Second phase of voting The second phase of the Lok Sabha elections is on Friday, with 88 seats across 13 states at stake. Though voting was to be held for 89 seats in the second phase, polling for Betul in Madhya Pradesh has been rescheduled to the third phase after the death of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate. Among the key candidates in the fray are Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor from Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, respectively, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Thiruvananthapuram, actor-turned-politician Arun Govil from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh from Bangalore Rural, and former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy from Mandya in the southern part of the state. Five recommended readings: Phase 2 of Lok Sabha polls: 84 seats, of which BJP won 54, Congress 18 In Bihar battle second round today, a big test for JD(U); 5 Lok Sabha seats at stake As Karnataka votes today, BJP-JD(S) to face first big challenge, Congress bets on welfare guarantees Gloves off in Congress-Left fight in Kerala, BJP very much in the ring Rajasthan Lok Sabha polls wrap up with chance of an opening for Congress after 10 years Now on to the third phase The attention now shifts to the third phase of the elections which is 10 days away. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, around 4.30 pm. He will be accompanied by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who will arrive from Moradabad, where he is scheduled to address a public meeting around 3.30 pm. The PM is also scheduled to address a rally in Forbesganj in Bihar’s Araria Lok Sabha constituency. While three other constituencies in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region — Purnia, Kishanganj, and Katihar — vote in the second phase, Araria is scheduled to vote in the third phase. Meanwhile, the AAP on Friday will begin its campaign in Delhi, which votes in the sixth phase, with a roadshow led by CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita. — With PTI inputs
