AP CM Chandrababu Naidu’s fight over VVPATs counting is continuing at the national level. In a latest decision, the Supreme Court admitted the review petition of 21 anti-BJP parties including TDP and Congress. The apex court will now hear the opposition petition for counting 50 per cent VVPAT slips in each assembly and Lok Sabha segment.

In earlier order, the court dismissed a similar petition but directed the Election Commission of India to count 5 per cent VVPATs. At that time, the EC submitted to the court that 50 per VVPATs counting would take too much time to announce the election results. Reacting on this, Chandrababu Naidu had commented that more counting personnel could be deployed to speed up the process.

Naidu, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar and other leaders decided to fight it out in the court once again. The anti-BJP parties are already complaining against the Election Commission for unilaterally favouring the BJP in election process. They are going to appeal to the court how important it is to ensure greater confidence in the election process by ensuring 50 per cent VVPATs counting and their cross-check with EVMs readings.