Remarks on ADR by Justice Dutta: 'Shockingly Unjustified' says Prashant Bhushan; 'Reflects poorly on ADR' says TV Mohandas Pai

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Dutta had on April 24 reserved the plea for judgment for the second time after they relisted it for getting some clarification from the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The Supreme Court on April 26 rejected pleas seeking cross-verification of the votes cast in electronic voting machines (EVMs) with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Dutta had on April 24 reserved the plea for judgment for the second time after they relisted it for getting some clarification from the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Justice Dipankar Datta in his concurring 18-page opinion stated that “certain vested groups” are endeavouring to undermine the nation’s accomplishments, “earned through hard work and dedication”.

Reacting to the Justice Dutta's views, lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan tweeted: "Shockingly unjustified remarks by Justice Dipankar Dutta on the bonafides of Association of Democratic Reforms for a petition seeking a more foolproof system of counting votes rather than relying only on EVMs which have a software capable of being manipulated."

Shockingly unjustified remarks by Justice Dipankar Dutta on the bonafides of Association of Democratic Reforms for a petition seeking a more foolproof system of counting votes rather than relying only on EVMs which have a software capable of being manipulated pic.twitter.com/xumU7EhJc6

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) April 26, 2024

Activist Sudheendra Kulkarni said that this is judicial arrogance and that the electoral bonds scam wouldn’t have been exposed "without ADR’s brave struggle."

Kulkarni tweeted:

This is judicial arrogance.

Should a Supreme Court judge denounce a respected civil society organisation (Association for Democratic Reforms) that’s trying to advance democracy in India?

Remember: Electoral Bonds scam wouldn’t have been exposed without ADR’s brave struggle. https://t.co/VU2M3vwOVD

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— Sudheendra Kulkarni (@SudheenKulkarni) April 27, 2024

In contrast, former Infosys CFO, TV Mohandas Pai said that the Justices are right in passing strictures and exposing such entities. He tweeted: "It reflects poorly on ADR that it gave in to subversive elements, fake narratives, overseas funders and interests, extreme activist fake narrative lawyers to try and subvert our democracy. A big shame that an entity which claims to fight for democracy tried to subvert our election on a settled matter raising fake dishonest arguments. The Justices are right in passing strictures and exposing such entities. Big shame."

Former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta also agreed with SC remarks. He tweeted:

What SC Justice Dipankar Dutta said about the litigious Association for Democratic Reforms needed to be said. I believe these groups are an impediment to good governance. They are the equivalent of the NGOs who go all out to prevent the building of roads, highways and bridges. pic.twitter.com/xF2NTLgwsW

— Swapan Dasgupta (@swapan55) April 27, 2024