The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided against a petition that sought to implement breathalyzer tests for voters at polling booths, a measure proposed to prevent voting under the influence of alcohol. The bench, led by Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, upheld the previous decision by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, dismissing the plea as primarily seeking publicity rather than addressing a legal necessity.
The plea, initiated by the Andhra Pradesh unit of the Janavahini Party, argued that enforcing such tests was crucial under the model code of conduct to ensure that no voter casts their ballot while intoxicated. The party’s representatives stressed the importance of sober voting to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
However, the Supreme Court bench criticized the proposal as frivolous, pointing out that election days are legally dry days with significant police presence to enforce this regulation. The bench commented on the impracticality and unnecessary nature of the request before dismissing it outright.
Previously, the High Court had rejected the plea on February 28, citing a lack of legal grounds compelling the Election Commission of India to mandate breathalyzer tests at polling stations. The political party had hoped to compel the Election Commission to install breath analyzers at the entrances to polling booth queues, allowing only sober individuals to vote. Despite their efforts, the plea was not seen as justifiable by either court.