05-30-2009, 05:37 AM
<b>PIL to ban EVMs in future elections admitted in Madras HC</b>
DMDK headquarters secretary P. Parthasarathy has filed a PIL in the High Court of Madras seeking a ban on the use of Electronic Voting Machines in bye-elections and to direct that elections be conducted using ballot papers.
The key points made in the PIL:
1. DMDK contested in all 40 constituencies of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry for the elections to Lok Sabha held on May 13.
2. Electronic Voting Machines were used during the election.
3. Frauds and malpractices occurred in the use of balloting units of EVMs. In Central Chennai constituency in particular, the EVMs were so manipulated that pressing of any button resulted in the vote accruing to the candidate of the ruling party.
4. In Virudhunagar constituency, it is reported that 25,000 additional votes were recorded on the machines than the number of voters.
5. In Dindigul constituency, when button was pressed on DMDK symbol, the light on the Congress symbol was lit up. Many EVMs were so manipulated that, one additional vote was recorded for the ruling party symbol for every 5 votes recorded.
Similar malpractices and frauds involving manipulation of EVMs occurred in many constituencies and booths during the election. When such malpractices and frauds were detected, no attempt was made to replace the EVMs in a wholesale manner. Despite representations and ccomplaints were made to the Election officials, no action was taken by the latter.
Hence, there should be a ban on the use of EVMs in the forthcoming bye-elections. Court was requested to direct the Election Commission to use only ballot paper system.
Vacation Bench judges Hon'ble V. Dhanapalan and MM Sundaresh admitted the PIL. The Solicitor General agreed to file the response of the Union of India.
The next hearing was postponed by three weeks, after issuing notices to the Central Election Commission and State Election Commissioner of Tamil Nadu.
DMDK headquarters secretary P. Parthasarathy has filed a PIL in the High Court of Madras seeking a ban on the use of Electronic Voting Machines in bye-elections and to direct that elections be conducted using ballot papers.
The key points made in the PIL:
1. DMDK contested in all 40 constituencies of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry for the elections to Lok Sabha held on May 13.
2. Electronic Voting Machines were used during the election.
3. Frauds and malpractices occurred in the use of balloting units of EVMs. In Central Chennai constituency in particular, the EVMs were so manipulated that pressing of any button resulted in the vote accruing to the candidate of the ruling party.
4. In Virudhunagar constituency, it is reported that 25,000 additional votes were recorded on the machines than the number of voters.
5. In Dindigul constituency, when button was pressed on DMDK symbol, the light on the Congress symbol was lit up. Many EVMs were so manipulated that, one additional vote was recorded for the ruling party symbol for every 5 votes recorded.
Similar malpractices and frauds involving manipulation of EVMs occurred in many constituencies and booths during the election. When such malpractices and frauds were detected, no attempt was made to replace the EVMs in a wholesale manner. Despite representations and ccomplaints were made to the Election officials, no action was taken by the latter.
Hence, there should be a ban on the use of EVMs in the forthcoming bye-elections. Court was requested to direct the Election Commission to use only ballot paper system.
Vacation Bench judges Hon'ble V. Dhanapalan and MM Sundaresh admitted the PIL. The Solicitor General agreed to file the response of the Union of India.
The next hearing was postponed by three weeks, after issuing notices to the Central Election Commission and State Election Commissioner of Tamil Nadu.