Hours after the Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday rejected demand of 22 Opposition parties for VVPAT slips’ check before the counting, the Opposition parties hit back saying the poll panel has lost its credibility and dubbed the electronic voting machines (EVMs) as “Election Victory Machines”.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the EC has rejected their request to check the VVPAT slips, “which we came to know through the media” reports. “The interesting thing is we have not received any formal orders yet,” he said, adding earlier the poll panel had declined 15-20 requests of the party without giving any reason. He said the EC means “Eradicated Credibility” and EVMs have become “Electronic Victory Machines” for BJP.
The Congress Rajya Sabha MP said the EC, for “confidence building”, should have accepted the request of 22 Opposition parties that “represent 75 per cent of the population”. “During our talks with the EC, they cited rule 56(B). But the rule 56(D) says for mandatory sample check of the VVPAT slips. Rule 56(B) and 56(D) are complete different things,” he said.
Reacting to the EC decision, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted, “This goes against the spirit of the Supreme Court Order on VVPATs delivered before polling began. If the process has been so long drawn for the sake of integrity of the electoral process, why is (the) EC not adhering to the basic principle of testing the sample first?”
TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh tweeted, “A genuine and fair demand for transparency is chucked out the window without a reason. A dark day for Indian democracy!... By ignoring the genuine demand of the majority of partiesto, the EC has shown once again whose side it wants to take.”
AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted if all the arguments of EC were accepted in past also, then no reform in election process was needed.
“Starting from candidate affidavits, VVPAT or VVPAT counting. Every thing cannot be correct just because EC says so. Faith comes with Facts and intent behind actions in past,” he tweeted.
The DMK also hit out at the poll body, saying its decision has blurred the distinction between an independent institution and the Central Government. “Is this democracy...? Will the Election Commission listen only to Prime Minister Narendra Modi..? senior DMK leader Duraimurugan asked.
