New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission of India why Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) cannot be used in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Gujarat.

If the Election Commission is already in possession of 87,000 VVPAT-enabled EVMs, why can't they be used, the apex court questioned.

The court pulled up the Commission for expressing inability to use VVPAT machines, saying, "The way you are arguing, it seems you don't want to do it," adding that the court will ensure its judgment was implemented.

"Everyone should know in all fairness about their vote," the Supreme Court said. The court also ordered the Election Commission to file the affidavit in 4 weeks' time explaining the number of machines the Commission has and its take on using them in Gujarat.

The Centre told the Supreme Court that it had already provided required funds to the Election Commission and now it was for them to purchase new machines.