The Modi Government on Wednesday accused the Opposition of adopting double standards on the issue of EVMs, saying leaders from their parties had become Chief Ministers and Prime Ministers through the same voting process.
"If people of this country elect Narendra Modi, then EVM is faulty. What is this logic?" Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asked the opposition members, while replying to the debate on electoral reforms in Rajya Sabha.
"This hypocracy and double standards impinge upon the polity of the country," Prasad added. He also pitched for 'one nation one poll' and urged the Opposition to consider the proposal with an open mind.
The minister said the government will write to the Election Commission to have a single voter list for assembly, panchayat and general elections in the country. Prasad said that the government has taken various measures to improve the electoral funding system and that it was ready to consider any other suggestions.
Replying to a short duration debate on electoral reforms, Prasad countered opposition charges related to misuse of media, social media and electoral bonds during the recently concluded general elections. "Time has come for one nation one poll. We should consider this proposal with an open mind," he said, and hoped that some conclusion could be achieved after discussion.
On aspersions related to EVMs and demand for returning to ballot papers, the minister said that post 1999, as many as four general elections and 122 assembly elections have been held using EVMs. He said Manmohan Singh became the prime minister twice based on elections held with EVMs. Similarly, many opposition leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati and Mamta Banerjee became CMs under EVMs.
The minister said the Congress recently won three assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. He asserted not a single complaint has been received regarding vote being cast to a particular candidate through the EVM and it getting transferred to some other candidate.
On opposition charge of crediting itself with achievements of defence forces during election campaign, the minister said "Why national security should not become a plank for election discourse?" Regarding allegations of managing media and social media, Prasad said: "Stop insulting the voters of this country and try to acknowledge your defeat."
The minister said the government would not allow the misuse of data by foreign powers and said legislation in this regard has been in the works. He also highlighted that BJP-led NDA has returned to power on various schemes and programmes for the welfare of the poor.
On electoral funding, Prasad said the government has taken many steps in the past three years to improve the system and the corporates have been asked to give donation only through cheques.
Earlier, participating in the debate, Derek O'Brien (AITC) said the time has come to form laws for electoral reforms in the country while pointing out to various issues like "misuse" of data by political parties in the elections. Bhupender Yadav (BJP) said the time has come to hold Parliament and assembly elections simultaenously and urged members of all parties to consider it.
Senior Congress member Kapil Sibal charged that BJP incurred huge expenditure on publicity and misused social media during the recent general elections. Ram Gopal Yadav of SP demanded that "we should go back to ballot paper" as people do not have faith on EVMs. He sought one voter list for panchayat, assembly and general elections.
Satish Chandra Misra of the BSP said his party opposes use of EVMs to conduct elections as they can be manipulated.