Rift in MVA again as NCP trashes Cong leader's call for using ballot papers in state polls

The fissures within the MVA resurfaced on Thursday when Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar rubbished Congress' aspersions over the Electronic Voting Machines. On February 2, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole who was then functioning as the Speaker had asked the state government to frame a law to give people the option of casting votes via ballot paper in local bodies and Assembly polls. Taking action on an application filed by Pradeep Uke from Nagpur, Patole mentioned that it should be left to the people to decide whether EVMs or ballot papers are trustworthy as doubts have been raised about EVM tampering in earlier polls. 

Speaking to the media, Pawar pointed out that Congress had won the Assembly election in Rajasthan and Punjab using the same EVMs. In a candid admission, the NCP leader stated that leaders across the political spectrum cry foul over EVMs only when they lose in an election. Stressing that there is no truth in the allegations, he reposed full faith in the functioning of the EVMs. 

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar remarked, "When EVM machines were there, even then Congress government was elected in Rajasthan, Punjab. Many a times, leaders from any party are okay when they get a huge mandate. If they lose by many votes and lose their deposits, they say that EVMs have been managed." 

"There is no truth in this. EVM is working well. Paperless work goes on. I have full faith in EVMs," he added.

Read: No Mismatch In EVM, VVPAT Counts In Bihar Polls: Election Commission

Read: 'People's Body Language Favoured Congress In MP' Claims MLA, Alleges 'BJP Misusing EVM'

EC's clarification on EVMs

Over the last few years, opposition parties including Congress has often questioned the credibility of the EVMs. For instance, during the campaign for the Bihar Assembly polls, ex-Congress president Rahul Gandhi termed the EVM as "Modi Voting Machine". According to him, the Mahagatbandhan would emerge victorious irrespective of the reliability of EVMs. As the counting trends showed the Mahagatbandhan trailing behind the NDA earlier in the day, Congress' Dr. Udit Raj alleged that the hacking of the EVM cannot be ruled out as the country has the 'capability of controlling the direction of the mission towards Mars and Moon'.

Addressing the media in the national capital on November 10, the Election Commission of India rubbished the opposition's allegation that the EVMs can be hacked. Observing that the EVMs are robust and tamper-proof, Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain mentioned that the Supreme Court too had upheld the credibility of the EVMs. Moreover, he recalled that the EC had invited all political parties in 2017 to prove that the voting machines can be tampered with. 

Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain remarked, "It has been clarified time and again that EVMs are absolutely robust and tamper-proof. The honourable SC has upheld the integrity of the EVMs more than once. In fact, the Election Commission of India had also offered an EVM challenge inviting all political parties in 2017. The integrity of the EVMs is absolutely without any doubt and merits no further clarification."

Read: Delhi Assembly Polls: AAP Alleges 'unauthorised Movement' Of EVM Machines