Udit Raj targets SC over VVPATs counting, asks if it is involved in rigging

Congress leader Udit Raj on Wednesday stoked controversy and questioned the manner the Supreme Court has dealt with complaints of EVM rigging and pleas seeking review of 100 per cent voter-verified paper audit trail slips along with electronic voting machines on the counting of votes.

Raj tweeted in Hindi saying, "Why doesn't Supreme Court wants VVPAT slips to be counted, is it involved in the rigging?" When 22 parties went to SC asking for an increase in the number of VVPAT slips being counted, SC rejected it saying it will cause a delay."

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Raj's remark comes a day after 21 opposition parties leaders urged the EC to count votes through VVPATs instead of EVMs during counting for the Lok Sabha polls.

A delegation led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu which also included the leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had handed over a memorandum of the same to the apex poll body.

In order to clear his stand, Raj said he is not levelling allegations against the apex court but only raising concerns on what is wrong in counting VVPATs when it would take just two days more.

"Election process continues for 3 months hampering development work, so what is the big deal if it takes 1-2 days more? I'm not levelling allegations on Supreme Court, I'm only raising concerns," he wrote in another tweet.

On May 18, Naidu had urged the Election Commission to count votes through VVPATinstead of EVMs during the counting of votes polled in the Lok Sabha elections. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

On May 7, the Supreme Court had turned down a review plea filed by 21 opposition parties seeking a direction to the EC to increase random physical verification of VVPATfrom five to at least 50 per cent of EVMs.

Raj, a former BJP MP from North West Delhi Lok Sabha seat, joined the Congress party in April after he was denied ticket by the BJP for the general elections.

The exit polls have projected the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to retain power at the Centre with most of the pollsters giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

Polling for seven-phased Lok Sabha elections started on April 11 and concluded on May 19. The much-awaited results for the General Elections will be announced on May 23.