Guwahati, Sept 20: The Gauhati High Court has fixed November 4 for the next hearing on a PIL challenging the credibility and legal acceptability of EVMs used in the 2026 Assam Assembly elections. The PIL, filed by Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) leader Ziaur Rahman along with Congress leaders Guptamani Sharma and Ripun Bora, raises questions over the semiconductor technology and microchips used in EVMs, their source code and the transparency of their programming.

The petition also raises questions about an alleged connection between Japanese semiconductor company Renesas Electronics and Assam’s semiconductor investment initiatives. Rahman has claimed that representatives of the company met Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during his visit to Japan in January 2025.

The allegations are part of the petition and have not been established by the High Court. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar heard arguments on the maintainability of the PIL on September 18.

Counsel for the petitioners and the Election Commission of India presented their submissions, with the court fixing November 4 for further arguments on whether the petition can be admitted. According to Rahman, the PIL differs from earlier challenges that broadly questioned the reliability of EVMs.

The petitioners have instead focused on the semiconductor components and microchips inside the machines and whether their programming can be independently examined. The petitioners have also questioned the availability of information relating to the programming and source code of the EVM technology for public scrutiny.

Rahman has alleged that the Election Commission has not made the relevant source code publicly available. He has also referred to an RTI response which, according to him, classified the source code as information connected with national security.

The claim is part of the petitioners’ submissions and has yet to be adjudicated by the court. The Japan connection forms another part of the petition.

Rahman has pointed to Sarma’s January 2025 visit to Japan and claimed that the Chief Minister met representatives of the Japanese semiconductor company in Tokyo on January 22. The petitioners have questioned this in the context of Assam’s efforts to attract semiconductor investment and Japanese collaboration.

Rahman has also questioned the timing of the visit, which he said took place after polling in Assam and before counting of votes. The petitioners have raised this as a matter requiring scrutiny; the court has not made any finding linking the visit to the functioning or security of EVMs.