Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday 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.
His remarks came a day after 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 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 era of ballot papers” reported by ANI.
Ravi Shankar Prasad’s remarks comes 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.
“I do not wish to make a political comment. I wish to say it with all respect that the same machine has shown the victory of my party (BJP) and also the defeat of my party. The same machine has shown regional players getting success time and time again,” Ravi Shankar Prasad said as reported by PTI.
Ravi Shankar Prasad’s remarks came at an event organised by the EC where President Ram Nath Kovind and CEC Arora were also present.
Prasad’s remarks on EVMs assume significance as the law ministry is responsible for answering questions in Parliament related to the EC. The law ministry is also the nodal ministry to handle amendments in election laws
The minister said the kind of trust the poll panel has shown in new technology backed by “most profound technical oversight is something we all need to respect”.
He said the elections in India and the conduct of elections are being discussed globally. “We need to trust EC, respect the sanctity of the institution of EC,” he said.
On Thursday, the Congress had said it sounds “strange” when the Election Commission presents itself as an advocate for EVMs. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the Election Commission has been entrusted the task to conduct elections and it should take the views of various stakeholders, including people and political parties, before arriving at such a decision.
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 Tuesday, The Election Commission of India (ECI) asked the Delhi Police to lodge an FIR against self-proclaimed cyber expert Syed Shuja, who had on Monday 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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