Unable to swallow the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election debacle, the Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday demanded to change Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT). They also questioned the Election Commission’s role in reining money and muscle power and discussed freedom of media and its role in influencing voters.
The paper-trail machine gives a receipt to the voter verifying the vote and the candidate in whose favour the button has been pressed on the EVM. This paper is then deposited in a ballot box.
During a short duration discussion on Electoral Reforms which went for nearly six hours, the Opposition members expressed concerns over possibility of EVM tampering.
“This EVM system is now under suspicion. Before Mayawatiji’s (BSP chief) allegation there were similar concerns from Maharashtra and Assam. The Election Comm-
ission (EC) has send 11 letters to Government and one SOS message to the Prime Minister for use of paper trail machines. Since the Government has not responded to the EC’s communique, people are doubting the intention of the Government. Bring back ballot papers,” leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said.
When some BJP MPs asked whether elections can be conducted again without EVMs in Punjab, Azad replied: “We are ready. But you should also conduct election in Uttar Pradesh again in that case.”
Azad suggested the Government should now think about using VVPAT in the 2019 lok Sabha polls. “The Supreme Court had ordered the use of VVPAT machines in October 2013 and the expenditure on this was estimated to be `3,100 crore then. You have been holding it. If you start acting now, you would be able to do it by the 2019 lok Sabha polls,” Azad said.
Other Opposition members echoed similar sentiments as they called for electoral reforms like State funding of polls, audit of election spending by political parties and suggested changes Model Code of Conduct. Members also expressed concern over high expenses incurred by some parties in hiring aircraft and helicopters for campaigning.
Trinamool Congress’ Mukul Roy, while initiating the debate, said there should be an audit of expenditure during polls on public meetings or air transportation by the political parties, which should be tabled in the House. In an apparent reference to the BJP, Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav alleged that the demonetisation drive benefitted certain political parties.
Janata Dal (U) member Sharad Yadav expressed concerns over alleged misuse of the media by political parties during elections and said paid news was distorting the electoral system. He suggested briging a law to restrict media owners from holding cross-businesses. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said the prevalence of paid news in the media was a serious issue which required a separate discussion.
BJP members welcomed the reforms suggestions but defended the EVM results in recent polls. Bhupender Yadav (BJP) suggested holding General and Assembly elections simultaneously. Defending EVMs, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs MA Naqvi said the same machines had given BSP and SP a chance to rule the State and now it gave BJP a mandate.
“You first blamed demonetisation. Now you are blaming EVMs,” Naqvi said.