Opposition parties to meet Election Commission over issue of 'EVM tampering'

Various opposition parties on 10 April decided to take up unitedly with the Election Commission the issue of alleged EVM tampering in the recently-held elections and put forth the demand that upcoming polls be held with 50 per cent use of VVPAT and ballot paper.

Leaders of various opposition parties on 10 April met in Parliament and decided to jointly meet the Election Commission, demanding that their concerns on the issue be addressed.

The opposition leaders decided to put forth their demand before the EC for simultaneous use of VVPAT (paper trail of voting) and ballot paper in 50 per cent constituencies each for elections in the western Indian state of Gujarat and the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh slated later this year.

"This will help check the voting system and dispel all doubts about their use in elections," said a leader.

Opposition leaders have been demanding that VVPAT be introduced in all future elections. The Congress has also been pushing for use of ballot papers instead of EVMs in upcoming elections in view of the alleged tampering.

The parties are demanding that the EC dispel the apprehensions they have and reassure the people of the country and voters on the serious issue.

The opposition parties observed that free and fair elections are the basic founding blocks on which the entire edifice of country has been maintained.

"Any erosion of these basic principles which sustain this edifice needs to be addressed forthwith and in the right earnest," said another leader.

The opposition parties, including arch-rivals the Left and the TMC, will meet the EC.

Among those present at Monday's strategy meeting held at Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad's chamber in Parliament included Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha, besides Janata Dal United leader Ali Anwar Ansari, Trinamool Congress leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Bahujan Samaj Party leader Satish Misra and Samajwadi Party leader Neeraj Shekhar.

Nationalist Congress Party leader Majeed Memon, Communist Party of India leader D Raja, Communist Party of India-Marxist leader C P Narayanan and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader J P Narain Yadav were also present during the meeting and all decided to strongly raise the issue with the EC.

-PTI