Kejriwal holds EVMs responsible for loss in Election

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ After BSP chief Mayawati, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday tore into the BJP alleging that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were tampered during assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

Yesterday, the Election Commission said that EVMs would be used during the Delhi civic polls. Kejriwal had requested the EC to have ballot papers instead of EVMs. Highlights of what the Delhi CM said.

Speaking about the AAP decimation in the Punjab polls, Kejriwal said, “Many said that there is anger against Akali’s and AAP is sweeping polls, still AAP got 25% votes & SAD got 31%. How is it possible? Through the EVM is it possible that 20-25% vote share meant for AAP was transferred to SAD-BJP alliance.”

He added that it was the Election Commission’s responsibility to keep people’s faith in EVMs. “They cannot shirk responsibility. I know it is too late to declare the Punjab, Goa elections void, but this is for the future. Faith has to be restored in the electoral process. The EC should count slips of voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) and match it with figures of EVM results and if it matches people’s trust will increase.

“Developed countries have given up EVMs, should we not rethink? Even the BJP including Advaniji had said EVMs can be tampered. People who tamper EVMs, they should answer why they didn’t do so in Delhi and Bihar.”