Opposition Parties Meet Poll Panel In Case Of Tampering EVMs

Mumbai: Among the news of alleged tampering of voting machines, leaders of 22 opposition parties met the Election Commission officials on Tuesday. They demanded that if there is any discrepancy during VVPAT verification, then 100 per cent of the paper slip of all polling stations in that assembly area should be counted with EVM results.

“We raised these issues in the last one and a half months. We asked the Election Commission why they did not reply. Strange, the EC heard us for about an hour and assured that they will meet us again tomorrow, “senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said.

“All polled EVMs and VVPATs are brought to the designated citadels within the preview of security, which is sealed in the presence of candidates and in the presence of the Election Commission observers, with double locks. The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are guarded by security in twenty-four hours in each strong room. In addition, the candidate or his designated agent remains strong for 24X7 alertness at all times, “said the statement by the Poll Panel.

The top opposition leaders had feared a non-NDA alliance claim to form the government on the first day.

Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ashok Gehlot, Abhishek Manu Singhvi of the Congress, TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu, Satish Chandra Misra of the BSP, Sitaram Yechury of the CPI(M), D Raja of the CPI, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Derek O’Brien of the TMC, Ramgopal Yadav of the SP, Kanimozhi of the DMK, Manoj Jha (RJD), Majeed Memon (NCP), Devinder Rana (NC) are taking part in the meeting among others.

(With Agency Inputs)