Days after the Election Commission (EC) responded to concerns raised by the INDIA bloc of Opposition parties regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Congress leader Jairam Ramesh expressed dissatisfaction, stating that specific concerns remained unaddressed. Ramesh sought a meeting with members of the EC, criticizing the generic nature of the clarification issued and highlighting the absence of a hearing or meeting despite repeated requests from the INDIA parties’ delegation.
In a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Ramesh mentioned the unsuccessful attempts of the INDIA bloc to meet with EC members and present suggestions on the use of Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips. He emphasized that the resolution passed by the INDIA bloc on December 19, 2023, outlining concerns and suggestions, had not received the necessary attention from the EC.
The resolution proposed a modification in the handling of VVPAT slips, suggesting that instead of falling into a box, the slips should be handed over to the voter for verification and then placed in a separate ballot box. The demand was for 100% counting of VVPAT slips.
Ramesh requested an opportunity for a 3-4 member team of INDIA party leaders to meet with the EC and present their perspective on VVPATs. He pointed out a series of requests made by the INDIA bloc to meet with the EC, including a memorandum submitted on August 9, 2023, and subsequent requests for meetings.
The EC had responded to the alliance’s concerns by revising and expanding its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page, addressing doubts related to EVMs, such as differences from banned German EVMs, the programmable memory of VVPATs, and software sharing with foreign microchip-makers. However, Ramesh criticized the EC’s generic clarification, which referenced standard FAQs, legal backing through Section 61A of the Representation of Peoples’ Act, 1951, and summaries of court judgments.
Ramesh concluded the letter by expressing disappointment over the lack of a meeting or hearing despite repeated requests, emphasizing that specific concerns raised by the INDIA bloc remained unaddressed even after a follow-up representation sent on October 2, 2023.
