Congress puts onus on EC, says doubts should be cleared on EVMs

Diverging from the Election Commission of India's (ECI) view on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering row, the Congress Party on Thursday said it is the poll panel's responsibility to clear doubts raised by various political parties.

"Some people like Mayawati, Kejriwal and others have raised their doubts over this. It is the Election Commission's responsibility to clear these doubts. No one should have doubt over the electoral process," Congress MP Rajeev Shukla told ANI.

Shukla said that the voting should take place via ballot system, adding that when a country like American can adopt it then why can't India.

Echoing similar sentiments, another Congress leader Oscar Fernandes said an immediate action should be taken if something like this is found.

The Election Commission earlier in the day said that given effective technical and administrative safeguards, EVMs aren't tamperable and integrity of electoral process is preserved.

"However, if any specific allegation with material facts is presented, it will be looked into with all seriousness on administrative sides," the poll panel said.

Earlier on March 11, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati put the onus on the EVMs for her loss in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, saying the machine accepted votes only in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"The shocking result of the assembly elections indicates that the EVMs accepted votes only in favour of the BJP," Mayawati said.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister alleged that the EVMs were tampered with in such a way that whichever button was pressed, the vote went to the BJP.

Supporting the same, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday alleged that the EVMs were tampered during the recently conducted assembly polls in the five states which ultimately resulted in his party's dismal show especially in Punjab.

Kejriwal suggested that the Election Commission needs to relook at the use of EVMs in the electoral process until faith is restored in it.

"Many said that there is anger against the Akalis and AAP is sweeping polls, still AAP got 25 percent votes and SAD got 31 percent votes. How is it possible? Even in Malwa, we got thrashed and Congress won there. How is it possible?" Kejriwal asked.

However, the Election Commission had asserted that there is "no merit" to the BSP's complaints over the EVM possibly being tampered with.