Today in Politics: PM Modi to address 4 rallies in 3 states, SC to hear plea on VVPAT

The BJP’s top brass will continue their aggressive campaign on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing four election rallies across three states.

He will address public meetings in Gaya and Purnea of Bihar. While Gaya votes in the first phase on April 19, Purnea will go to polls in the second phase on April 26. He will also address a rally in Balurghat and Raiganj of West Bengal, both of which will go to polls in the second phase.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address a rally in Palora of Jammu and will then proceed to Kotdwar in Uttarakhand, which falls under the Garhwal parliamentary constituency. While Garhwal goes to polls on April 19, Jammu votes on April 26.

Meanwhile, BJP national president J P Nadda will hold three roadshows in Tamil Nadu, where all 39 Lok Sabha seats go to polls in the first phase.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear next week a plea by an NGO seeking cross-verification of the votes cast in EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).

Last week, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), had sought an urgent hearing of the plea while senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan submitted that the elections are nearing and if the case is not heard, the plea would become infructuous.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who was sitting in a special bench along with Justice MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi, said the court is aware of the situation and would hear the matter next week.

On July 17 last year, the top court sought a response of the Election Commission of India on a plea filed by the ADR.

In the petition, the NGO has sought direction to the poll panel and the Centre to ensure the voters are able to verify through VVPATs that their vote has been