Citing the reports that a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine used during a trial in Madhya Pradesh only dispensed slips with the BJP's poll symbol, the Congress on Tuesday raised question on the Election Commission.
Speaking to ANI here, Congress leader Shobha Oza said, "EVMs, as per law, cannot be taken out for forty-five days from the date of declaration of results, but still EVMs for the by-polls in the Madhya Pradesh were taken out. A person can file petition within forty-five days and the mentioned days are still not over."
Oza further stated that the people no more have faith in the EVMs. "Free and fair elections are important because with a vote, comes a voice," she added.
Resonating similar views, another Congress leader Jai Parkash Aggarwal asserted that the Election Commission should work in a transparent manner.
"If there are reports of tampering in electronic voting machines (EVMs), the Election Commission must investigate the matter and should clear our doubts. It should conduct its work in a transparent manner," Aggarwal told ANI.
Earlier, Kejriwal expressed doubts over the security features installed in the machines while demanding the upcoming civic polls in the capital be conducted using paper ballots.
The Delhi Chief Minister also cited the example of the recent trial of VVPAT machines conducted by the ECI in Madhya Pradesh.
However, the ECI hit out at the AAP for levelling "unfair" allegations of EVM-tampering and asked it to introspect about its "unsatisfactory poll performance" in the assembly elections rather than attributing it to the alleged failure of the EVMs.
"The Commission is fully satisfied with the tamper proof functioning of the ECI-EVMs," the ECI said in its letter.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
