India’s Supreme Court has cautioned against claims that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in the country’s general election, which began on Friday, are unreliable, adding that they are not inferior to those used in Europe.

The court has been hearing a number of petitions seeking 100% cross-verification of votes cast on EVMs with paper slips. The petitioners also suggested tweaking the current system – including the use of paper ballots, citing examples from European countries.

On Thursday, a day before the first phase of voting kicked off, the court reserved judgment in the case, noting that rising voter turnout is an indicator of the “people’s faith” in the electoral process.

Responding to comparisons drawn by the petitioners between foreign countries and India, Sanjiv Khanna, one of the justices presiding over the case, said, “We have our own system. It’s working well.” The court added that elections in India are a “humongous task,” given the size of the electorate. Nearly 970 million people are eligible to vote – more than Europe’s total population. 

In the run-up to the election, opposition parties questioned the accuracy of the electronic voting system, with many suggesting that anything with a chip installed can be tampered with. India’s Election Commission has dismissed the allegations.