LS polls: Non-Cong, non-BJP parties urge using VVPAT
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 15, 2013:
While opposing use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the coming Lok Sabha Election, a group of 10 non-Congress and non-BJP political parties have urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to use either Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), a machine attached to EVMs which allows voters to check if their votes are cast the way they wished, or the traditional paper ballot in the coming Lok Sabha polls.
Talking to media persons at Irawat Bhavan here today, Secretary of CPI Manipur State Council Dr M Nara said that a petition has been filed at the Supreme Court against use of EVMs in elections.
The group of 10 political parties of the State has been urging the ECI to use either VVPAT or traditional paper ballot in the election.
VVPAT was successfully used in one by-election of Nagaland, he noted.
He further maintained that there are only two companies in India which can set up the VVPAT.
It would be impossible for the companies to build 13 lakh machines for crores of rupees within a short period of time for use in the coming Lok Sabha Election.
So, the ECI should use the traditional ballot paper in the coming Lok Sabha Election to ensure fair conduct of the election.
The political parties would launch intense agitations if either VVPAT or paper ballot is not used in the coming Lok Sabha Election in the State, Nara stated.
The leaders of 10 political parties also condemned the physical assault of a senior reporter of Imphal Free Press by an IRB man on February 10 night and baton charge on northeast students by Delhi Police during a protest against racial attacks in the National Capital yesterday.
The political parties would also look into the issue of scarcity of petroleum oil in the State prior to the beginning of economic blockade.