Sitaram Yechury discusses agenda for Oppn party meet

The Election Commission should order recount of all the electronic voting machines (EVMs) in an assembly constituency if a discrepancy is found in the counting of even one of the five EVMs which will be checked with VVPAT, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday.

"The issue today (at the opposition meeting) is that the EC has ordered 5 EVMs will be checked by VVPAT. But what will they do if the counting turns out faulty? What we are suggesting is that if the counting in even one machine turns out to be faulty, then checking for every EVM in that assembly constituency should be carried out," Yechury said talking to reporters here.

He also dismissed the possibility that a discussion for strategies on the post-results period will be discussed in the meeting of 21 opposition parties today

"We are not here to debate the strategy for post-result today, That discussion will be held later," he said.

The meeting in the Constitution Club is expected to be centred around issues concerning the recently-concluded general elections and the role of the Election Commission.

After the meeting, a delegation of 21 opposition parties along with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu will knock the doors of Election Commission of India (ECI), pressing their demand of tallying VVPAT slips with EVM figures in an entire Assembly constituency, in case a discrepancy is found in any polling booth.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi of Congress, Sharad Pawar of NCP, Satish Chandra Misra of BSP, D Raja of Communist Party of India (CPI) and Derek O'Brien of the TMC are expected to meet the EC along with Naidu.

Naidu is at the forefront of ongoing efforts to stitch a united opposition ahead of the May 23 elections.