Oppn parties to meet Friday to discuss EVM issue

Top leaders of various opposition parties will meet Friday to discuss their future course of action on the issue of alleged tampering of EVMs and might also move the Election Commission thereafter, opposition leaders said.

Sources said the Congress has convened a meeting of opposition leaders to discuss a joint strategy on the issue of alleged tampering of electronic voting machines (EVMs) as some parties have questioned their efficacy and demanded that the EC revert to the old system of ballot paper.

The sources add that the opposition parties may petition the Election Commission (EC) to demand that some percentage of VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) be compulsorily counted to match the EVMs.

"The opposition parties are meeting seriously to raise the issue of EVMs. We are trying to discuss the issue in a meeting of all opposition parties. We are demanding that the EC compulsorily count some percentage of VVPAT (paper trail of votes) with the EVMs," said TMC leader Derek O'Brien.

Various opposition parties have been claiming that only 2-3 countries across the world are using EVMs and the rest have reverted to the ballot paper system following complaints of EVM malfunctioning.

The Congress, while supporting the demand for reverting to the ballot paper system, has maintained that since there is very less time left for Lok Sabha elections, the EC should ensure counting of paper trail in 50 per cent booths across the country to ensure that there is no doubt in the minds of the voters.