ORDER 1. During the pendency of the present contempt petitions certain developments have taken place as evident from the relevant information placed by Shri Ranjit Kumar, learned Solicitor General appearing for the Union of India as well as Shri Ashok Desai, learned Senior Counsel appearing for the Election Commission of India. 2. From the materials laid before the Court it appears that on 19th April, 2017 the sanction of the President of India for purchase of 16,15,000 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) at an estimated cost of Rs.3,173.47 crore (excluding taxes and freight as applicable) from M/s Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore and M/s Electronics Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad has been conveyed to the Election Commission of India. 3. Pursuant to the above, on 21st April, 2017, the Election Commission of India has placed orders with M/s Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore and M/s Electronics Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad for purchase of 8,07,500 VVPAT units from each of the aforesaid firms indicating September, 2018 as the outer limit for procurement of the said units. 4. Shri Ashok Desai, learned Senior Counsel for the Election Commission of India has also placed a set of written instructions received by him from the Election Commission of India which indicates that all the VVPAT machines should be available by September 2018 and such machines should be available for deployment in the next General Elections to constitute 17th Lok Sabha. Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the written instructions which deal with the above are as follows: “3. It is submitted that on this schedule it is anticipated that the all VVPATs machines should be available by September, 2018 and should be able to be deployed by and be in situ by February, 2019. As a result all VVPAT Units would be available by March, 2019 which is the expected commencement date of next General Elections to constitute 17th Lok Sabha. 4. That for General Elections for Parliament alone there are more than 10,00,000 polling stations and as such equal number of VVPATs are required. A margin is however, necessary in case there are simultaneous elections in some constituencies and also for reserves. 5. In view of the aforesaid developments that have taken place we are of the view that the present Contempt Petitions ought not to be entertained any further. A margin is however, necessary in case there are simultaneous elections in some constituencies and also for reserves. 5. In view of the aforesaid developments that have taken place we are of the view that the present Contempt Petitions ought not to be entertained any further. We accordingly close the contempt petitions in the light of the developments noticed and mentioned above.