Opposition demands tallying of VVPATs with EVM vote in all booths if discrepancy found
New Delhi, May 7 (UNI): Hours after the Supreme Court dismissed the plea by 21 Opposition parties asking for 50 per cent counting of VVPAT slip, a delegation of Opposition leaders on Tuesday met Election Commission and reiterated their demand of increasing the counting of VVPAT and verification of VVPATs in all poling stations of the Assembly segment, if any discrepancy is found in any of the five VVPATs that are to be tallied with the EVM votes as per the apex court order.
Talking to mediapersons after the meeting with the commission, the delegation, comprising Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, NCP leader Majid Meman and CPI leader D. Raja, said that the poll body assured them that they will look into each issue raised by the Opposition.
"The Commission has assured us that they will look into each issue and the nitty-gritties of how the VVPAT can be made a bigger confidence building measure," said Mr Singhvi.
However, the Congress leader said that commission had not committed themselves regarding the increase in the percentage of VVPATs to be tallied with the EVM vote counting.
Referring to the Supreme Court order, Mr Sighvi said that there was no connection between the apex court order and the Opposition's demand.
"We have also raised with the election commission what all measures need to be taken by them if they find any discrepancy in tallying of any of the EVMs with the VVPATs. We demanded that if any such discrepancy is found anywhere in the country, the declaration of result shall be withheld till 100 percent counting of paper slips of VVPATs of all polling stations of that Assembly segment in that parliamentary constituency is done and cross checked with the EVM vote," Mr Singvi said.
The Congress leader said that the delegation also pointed out that the supreme court dismissing the opposition plea does not at all prevent the Election Commission suo motu to increase the percentage of VVPATs to be tallied with the EVMs .
"We have very strongly asked the Commission to do that. The commission said 'we are not relying as if we are bound by the Supreme Court order'. But we hope and trust the EC to take a decision quickly and they have assured us the rules will be promulgated within a few days," he said.
Mr Singhvi further said that the Commission must make public the details of the discrepancy, if any, found.
"There should be an inquiry in a time bound manner," he said.
During the meeting with Opposition leaders, the EC said that the counting process would be delayed by five hours due to the Supreme court direction to tally at least five VVPTs in a constituency with the EVM vote.
However, the political leader said that delay was not an issue and what was important was to ensure a transparency of the counting process and inspire confidence among the public.
Image credit: UNI
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