ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA Vs. HOULIM SHOKHOPAO MATE @ BENJAMIN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Election Commission of India has come forward with the present application seeking intervention of this Court for allowing the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur/District Electoral Officers of various Districts of Manipur to take out the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) locked in various strong rooms of concerned District Electoral Officers of the State of Manipur for future use and/or for physical verification and/or for sending the EVMs and VVPATs to the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bangaluru etc. wherever applicable.

(2.) Heard the learned counsel for the Election Commission of India as well as the respondents.

(3.) Election Petition No.1 of 2019 has been filed by the first respondent herein challenging the election of the second respondent as Member of Parliament of the 17th Lok Sabha in respect of Outer Manipur (ST) Parliamentary Constitution. Pending Election Petition, the Election Commission of India has filed the present petition contending that the Election Commission of India had conducted General Elections of the 17th Lok Sabha, 2019 in the State of Manipur and the entire election process in respect of Manipur in the 17th Lok Sabha Elections were concluded on 27.05.2019. Therefore, keeping the EVMs and VVPATs in the strong rooms are not required and hence, the same may be permitted to be taken from the strong rooms by the District Electoral Officers of various Districts of Manipur.