Opposition to ban use of EVMs in next election
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 21 2013:
Raising doubts of possible tampering in the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during elections, a group of 11 opposition political parties of the State has decided to ban the use of EVMs and retain traditional paper ballot system from the next General Election.
Addressing media persons on behalf of the 11 opposition parties at Manipur Press Club here today, State CPI leader Dr M Nara said that a case was filed to Gauhati High Court on suspicion of possible tampering in the use of EVMs during the last State General Election.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has also received several complaints from all over India regarding the use of EVMs.
The opposition leaders from the State have also raised this issue to the ECI during a joint meeting with the representatives from six National parties and 35 Regional Parties in New Delhi on May 10, he noted.
Dr Nara further said that the ECI officials have considered the issue seriously and put forward the use of Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) instead of EVM as a means to check possible tampering.
VVPAT is a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballot-less voting system.
However, some defects popped up during its trial conducted by a Hyderabad-based company and the project would cost more than Rs.1690 crores, which is not favourable for a developing country like India, he averred.
The CPI leader further claimed that people did not believe at the landslide victory of the Congress Party in the last General Election, and asserted that the opposition parties would join hands in banning the use of EVMs from the next General Election.
Leaders of other opposition parties who took part in the ECI meeting in New Delhi were also present during the press meet.