The Supreme Court rejected a public interest litigation (PIL) petition alleging discrepancies in the purchase of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud submitted that the cost of elections is high but it is the price that one has to pay for democracy.

"Cost of elections is astronomical but that is the price you pay for democracy. Now we cannot ask how did you spend so much on EVMs," the Court said

The counsel for the petitioner mentioned that the ECI had not actually purchased the EVMs though they had shown them as bought.

The Court, however, noted that the matter of ECI's purchase of EVMs did not fall within the remit of Article 32, which deals with the right to move the Supreme Court for the enforcement of fundamental rights.

Hence, the petition was dismissed.