Oppn seeks reverting to ballot paper; EC says will provide satisfactory solution on EVMs

A number of opposition parties today demanded reverting to the old system of paper ballot as they questioned the reliability of EVMs, following which the Election Commission said it would provide "satisfactory solution" to their concerns.

Except the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), all six national recognised political parties were joined by regional players like Samajwadi Party (SP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in putting forth the demand for paper ballot to the Election Commission at a meeting here with various parties ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly elections to some states.

The issue of paper ballot and alleged tampering with EVMs was raised by the Congress and other opposition parties such as SP, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), AAP, Janata Dal (Secular), Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India, besides Forward Bloc.

Claiming that the BJP was isolated on the EVM issue, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said nearly three-fourth of the political parties present at the meeting raised the issue of alleged tampering and technical snags with electronic voting machines (EVMs) and demanded going back to the old system of paper ballot from the next election.

"Around 70 per cent political parties have demanded that the EC revert to the old system of ballot paper during elections. Parties who were there, overwhelming 70 per cent supported a reversion to paper ballot," he told reporters while naming the NCP, BSP, SP, AAP, JD (S), CPI, CPI-M and Forward Bloc that supported the move.

Seven recognised national parties and 51 recognised state political parties were invited for the meeting. Out of the total 58 parties, 41 attended it.

Singhvi said the Congress' stand was given in writing to the Election Commission many weeks ago and it has been reiterated today for the second time. He suggested that alternatively there should be 30 per cent cross-checking of EVMs with paper trail of votes to ensure integrity of electoral process.

"Our demand remains undiluted that there should be reversion to paper ballot which is the demand of other political across the spectrum," he said, claiming that the BJP was "singled out" on the issue.

Singhvi said in the alternative if EC does not agree to revert to paper ballot, then it could adhere to the suggestion that in at least 30 per cent of the polling booths there should be paper trail of EVMs to check the authenticity of votes cast.

Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat told reporters after the meeting, "We will definitely look into all the suggestions given by them (political parties) and there will be a satisfactory solution to them."
SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said, "We have urged the EC to hold the 2019 Lok Sabha elections using traditional ballot paper system as it is more reliable than the EVMs."