India, Nov. 20 -- The Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) told the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that using Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in local body elections is not feasible. It added that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has refused to lend its VVPAT-compatible Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to the state election body.

The SEC was replying to a petition filed by Congress leader Prafulla Gudadhe. He had claimed that the state election body had failed to ensure transparency in the election process by deciding not to deploy VVPAT machines for the upcoming local body polls across Maharashtra.

The plea also noted that the Supreme Court had directed the SEC in May 2025 to complete the long-delayed ...