Amidst the ongoing debate about the possibilities of rigging the Electronic Voting Machines EVMs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Election Commission for its “meticulous organising abilities” and adherence to “free and fair polling”.
PM Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on Sunday, said, ‘I appreciate the Election Commission for relentlessly striving to ensure the strengthening of our democracy. I hold in high esteem the ECs of all states, security personnel and other staff members who contribute in ensuring strict adherence to free and fair polling’.
2019's first #MannKiBaat. Tune in. https://t.co/TxT7dMPbuV
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 27, 2019
PM Modi’s remarks come amidst chorus growing for conducting Lok Sabha Polls through Ballot papers. Demand for conducting Polls through Ballot Papers is on height following the claims of US-based self-proclaimed cyber expert about rigging in national elections of 2014.
However, EC rubbishes such claims and also stated clearly that ‘Will not going back to Era of Ballot papers’. CEC Sunil Arora made it clear that EC is not going back to the era of Ballot papers. CEC Sunil Arora asserted that the EC would not be “intimidated or bullied” into giving up EVMs.
CEC Arora on Thursday [last week] said, ‘We will continue to use EVMs & VVPATs. We are open to any criticism & feedback from any stakeholder including political parties. At the same time, we are not going to be intimidated, bullied or coerced into giving up these and start an era of ballot papers” reported by ANI.
On Friday, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad backed the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the stand of the Election Commission. He said there is a need to trust the Poll body and respect the sanctity of the institution.
Following Syed Shuja’s, BSP Supremo Mayawati voiced her opinion and had asked the Election Commission to revert to ballot papers in 2019 Lok Sabha elections to ensure free and fair polls. While Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav too voiced the sentiment saying that reliability of the EVMs had come under the question.
Earlier on January 22, The Election Commission of India (ECI) asked the Delhi Police to lodge an FIR against self-proclaimed cyber expert Syed Shuja, who had on Jan 21 claimed that EVMs used for elections in India can be hacked. Election Commission of India (ECI) has written to Delhi Police requesting it to lodge an FIR & investigate properly the statement made by Syed Shuja at an event in London on Monday claiming to demonstrate EVMs used by ECI can be tampered with.
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