07-05-2009, 07:27 PM
<b>Advani finds support from rivals on EVM issue</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->New Delhi: BJP leader LK Advani today found support from rivals CPI(M), JD(S) and LJP on his suggestion for the re-introduction of ballot papers in place of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Advani has not cast any doubts on the results of the Lok Sabha elections but feels the country should revert to ballot papers starting with the Maharashtra Assembly elections in October and some more states later unless the Election Commission was able to ensure that EVMs were fool-proof and every possibility of malfunctioning has been taken care of.
However, the Congress has reacted saying it was an "astonishing" statement of a losing party which was in search of wrong answers for its loss.
There was no immediate comment from the Election Commission as CEC Naveen Chawla and EC SY Qureshi are away on a trip abroad while the other Commissioner VS Sampath is in Hyderabad on leave.
However, Qureshi was earlier quoted as having said that the Commission was absolutely satisfied that the EVMs could not be manipulated and that a technical committee headed by former IIT-Madras director PV Indiresan was in place to
ensure this.
Recently, the controversy over the EVMs gained momentum when former Delhi chief secretary Omesh Saigal gave a presentation to the Commission as to how EVMs can be programmed to manipulate results, after which the Commission asked a deputy commissioner to probe the matter.
BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said that the party was making it "very clear" that it was not raising any question mark over the recently held Lok Sabha elections in the "absence of any tangible proof".
"It is certainly expected that the Election Commission would ensure after proper enquiry that the EVMs are not subjected to any manipulation or malfunctioning. Till that is done, it is expected that the elections to Maharashtra, Haryana etc will be done through ballot papers," he said.
Prasad noted that in Germany, voting machines have been prohibited while in the US, it is mandatory to provide paper back ups to EVMs. "Now many parts of the world's democracies are following the old system of ballot papers."
The CPI(M) said that the questions being raised about the functioning of EVMs should be considered "very seriously", especially as many countries have reverted back to ballot papers, including developed ones.
"Many questions have already been raised related to EVMs. These are serious issues and if we want to strengthen our democracy then we should consider the matter very seriously," CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Yechury said here.
He said many countries in the world which were using EVMs have reverted back to ballot papers and these included developed countries, with Germany being the latest example.
Addressing a press conference, JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda said that secrecy cannot be maintained in EVMs. "This system should be abandoned. Our party at the all-party meeting before the elections have enlisted the shortcomings of EVMs.
"In EVMs, boothwise details of voting could be known. This could lead to parties intimidating and harassing voters in a particular area," he said. Gowda said the country should go back to the old system of ballot papers.
LJP secretary general Abdul Khalid said his party demanded that the practice of using EVMs should be stopped and the old practice of ballot papers should be brought back.
"EVMs can be tampered at times there are problems even in polling inside Parliament. So how can EVMs be foolproof," he said.
Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said it was an "astonishing" statement from a top leader of a losing party.
"Advani's comments are the most unfortunate. I hope and trust that they do not betray a lack of grace over the loss in the elections," he said.
Singhvi said he hoped that Advani does not take the country back to the dark ages when India is proclaimed a proud democracy with 1.2 million EVMs in over one million polling booths and 700 million voters and results are out in four hours after counting starts.
However, his party colleauge and another spokesman Manish Tiwari said, though he would go by Qureshi's statement, he would like a wider discussion on the efficacy of the EVMs and whether there could be manipulation at a macro level.
"You know, this is a fundamental concern for democracy. And to that extent, the Leader of Opposition is correct that there is a need for wider probe. "<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_advan...m-issue_1271300
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->New Delhi: BJP leader LK Advani today found support from rivals CPI(M), JD(S) and LJP on his suggestion for the re-introduction of ballot papers in place of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Advani has not cast any doubts on the results of the Lok Sabha elections but feels the country should revert to ballot papers starting with the Maharashtra Assembly elections in October and some more states later unless the Election Commission was able to ensure that EVMs were fool-proof and every possibility of malfunctioning has been taken care of.
However, the Congress has reacted saying it was an "astonishing" statement of a losing party which was in search of wrong answers for its loss.
There was no immediate comment from the Election Commission as CEC Naveen Chawla and EC SY Qureshi are away on a trip abroad while the other Commissioner VS Sampath is in Hyderabad on leave.
However, Qureshi was earlier quoted as having said that the Commission was absolutely satisfied that the EVMs could not be manipulated and that a technical committee headed by former IIT-Madras director PV Indiresan was in place to
ensure this.
Recently, the controversy over the EVMs gained momentum when former Delhi chief secretary Omesh Saigal gave a presentation to the Commission as to how EVMs can be programmed to manipulate results, after which the Commission asked a deputy commissioner to probe the matter.
BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said that the party was making it "very clear" that it was not raising any question mark over the recently held Lok Sabha elections in the "absence of any tangible proof".
"It is certainly expected that the Election Commission would ensure after proper enquiry that the EVMs are not subjected to any manipulation or malfunctioning. Till that is done, it is expected that the elections to Maharashtra, Haryana etc will be done through ballot papers," he said.
Prasad noted that in Germany, voting machines have been prohibited while in the US, it is mandatory to provide paper back ups to EVMs. "Now many parts of the world's democracies are following the old system of ballot papers."
The CPI(M) said that the questions being raised about the functioning of EVMs should be considered "very seriously", especially as many countries have reverted back to ballot papers, including developed ones.
"Many questions have already been raised related to EVMs. These are serious issues and if we want to strengthen our democracy then we should consider the matter very seriously," CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Yechury said here.
He said many countries in the world which were using EVMs have reverted back to ballot papers and these included developed countries, with Germany being the latest example.
Addressing a press conference, JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda said that secrecy cannot be maintained in EVMs. "This system should be abandoned. Our party at the all-party meeting before the elections have enlisted the shortcomings of EVMs.
"In EVMs, boothwise details of voting could be known. This could lead to parties intimidating and harassing voters in a particular area," he said. Gowda said the country should go back to the old system of ballot papers.
LJP secretary general Abdul Khalid said his party demanded that the practice of using EVMs should be stopped and the old practice of ballot papers should be brought back.
"EVMs can be tampered at times there are problems even in polling inside Parliament. So how can EVMs be foolproof," he said.
Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said it was an "astonishing" statement from a top leader of a losing party.
"Advani's comments are the most unfortunate. I hope and trust that they do not betray a lack of grace over the loss in the elections," he said.
Singhvi said he hoped that Advani does not take the country back to the dark ages when India is proclaimed a proud democracy with 1.2 million EVMs in over one million polling booths and 700 million voters and results are out in four hours after counting starts.
However, his party colleauge and another spokesman Manish Tiwari said, though he would go by Qureshi's statement, he would like a wider discussion on the efficacy of the EVMs and whether there could be manipulation at a macro level.
"You know, this is a fundamental concern for democracy. And to that extent, the Leader of Opposition is correct that there is a need for wider probe. "<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_advan...m-issue_1271300