Pune: The state Chief Electoral Office (CEO) has cancelled the current scheduled inspection of EVM-VVPAT machines for NCP (SP) candidate Prashant Jagtap from the Hadapsar Assembly constituency, citing a pending petition by him before Bombay High Court.The verification process, originally scheduled from July 25 to August 2, involved an inspection of 27 EVMs, as appealed by Jagtap. However, the CEO office, in a letter to Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), stated that the process cannot proceed as Jagtap’s petition is pending for hearing in the court.The letter refers to a fresh application filed by Jagtap before the high court on July 8, seeking restoration of his earlier petition. “Since the petition is pending, the inspection and verification of the burnt memory and microcontroller of EVMs stands cancelled for these dates,” the communication from the CEO office said. It stated that the petitioner, too, requested for stopping the process of scheduled verification due to the pending petition.Pune collector and district election officer Jitendra Dudi said that the inspection has been put on hold for now. “The verification process for the Hadapsar candidate will not take place. However, the schedule will go ahead for NCP (SP) candidate Sachin Ghodke from Khadakwasla,” he said. The collector had sought guidance on the issue from the CEO office.Jagtap told TOI he received an official intimation regarding his application being put on hold for now due to the petition before the court. “I have been informed that due to the pending status of my petition in the high court, the verification cannot be conducted at this stage. Once the matter is disposed of, I will seek verification again,” he said.The election petition filed by Jagtap was initially dismissed by the Bombay High Court on January 31. However, he subsequently filed a restoration application, and the court restored the petition through its order dated March 25. As the petitioner failed to comply with the directions outlined in that order, the high court dismissed the petition again on June 11.Following this second dismissal, the counsel for the Election Commission of India (ECI) informed the authorities that the EVM-VVPAT machines involved in the case could be released. Subsequently, the ECI issued a letter on June 25, directing that the pending election verification activity be carried out.Accordingly, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which is tasked with EVM maintenance and verification, was informed on July 7 to prepare a schedule. BEL responded on July 12, appointing engineers and finalising the verification process to begin from July 25.However, on July 8, Jagtap filed a fresh application seeking restoration of the election petition, which is currently pending before the high court. On July 22, he submitted a request to halt the verification process in light of the pending plea.Taking cognisance of the new developments, the under secretary and deputy chief electoral officer wrote to BEL, instructing them to cancel the scheduled inspection and verification of the EVMs and VVPATs, specifically the “burnt memory” of the machines related to the Hadapsar Assembly segment.Officials said any further action on the verification will depend on the outcome of the latest petition pending before the high court.Pune: The state Chief Electoral Office (CEO) has cancelled the current scheduled inspection of EVM-VVPAT machines for NCP (SP) candidate Prashant Jagtap from the Hadapsar Assembly constituency, citing a pending petition by him before Bombay High Court.The verification process, originally scheduled from July 25 to August 2, involved an inspection of 27 EVMs, as appealed by Jagtap. However, the CEO office, in a letter to Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), stated that the process cannot proceed as Jagtap’s petition is pending for hearing in the court.The letter refers to a fresh application filed by Jagtap before the high court on July 8, seeking restoration of his earlier petition. “Since the petition is pending, the inspection and verification of the burnt memory and microcontroller of EVMs stands cancelled for these dates,” the communication from the CEO office said. It stated that the petitioner, too, requested for stopping the process of scheduled verification due to the pending petition.Pune collector and district election officer Jitendra Dudi said that the inspection has been put on hold for now. “The verification process for the Hadapsar candidate will not take place. However, the schedule will go ahead for NCP (SP) candidate Sachin Ghodke from Khadakwasla,” he said. The collector had sought guidance on the issue from the CEO office.Jagtap told TOI he received an official intimation regarding his application being put on hold for now due to the petition before the court. “I have been informed that due to the pending status of my petition in the high court, the verification cannot be conducted at this stage. Once the matter is disposed of, I will seek verification again,” he said.The election petition filed by Jagtap was initially dismissed by the Bombay High Court on January 31. However, he subsequently filed a restoration application, and the court restored the petition through its order dated March 25. As the petitioner failed to comply with the directions outlined in that order, the high court dismissed the petition again on June 11.Following this second dismissal, the counsel for the Election Commission of India (ECI) informed the authorities that the EVM-VVPAT machines involved in the case could be released. Subsequently, the ECI issued a letter on June 25, directing that the pending election verification activity be carried out.Accordingly, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which is tasked with EVM maintenance and verification, was informed on July 7 to prepare a schedule. BEL responded on July 12, appointing engineers and finalising the verification process to begin from July 25.However, on July 8, Jagtap filed a fresh application seeking restoration of the election petition, which is currently pending before the high court. On July 22, he submitted a request to halt the verification process in light of the pending plea.Taking cognisance of the new developments, the under secretary and deputy chief electoral officer wrote to BEL, instructing them to cancel the scheduled inspection and verification of the EVMs and VVPATs, specifically the “burnt memory” of the machines related to the Hadapsar Assembly segment.Officials said any further action on the verification will depend on the outcome of the latest petition pending before the high court.
