Congress terms Election Commission refusal to meet INDIA parties on VVPAT unfortunate

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 8

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh today reiterated his request to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to hold a meeting with a delegation of INDIA bloc parties to hear their views on the issue of VVPATs, pointing out that despite several reminders, the poll body had failed to give a “substantive response” to their queries and “genuine concerns over EVMs”.

In a letter dated January 7, the Rajya Sabha MP wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar that despite making an express request for an appointment for INDIA bloc parties’ leaders for discussion and suggestions on the use of VVPATs for the coming elections, the poll body “while completely brushing aside our request for an appointment, has yet again failed to provide a substantive response to our queries and genuine concerns over EVMs”.

Emphasising his point, Jairam said “this request is being made on behalf of the INDIA bloc parties, which have given our country prime ministers, chief ministers and a large number of distinguished political leaders. INDIA bloc parties commanded over 60 per cent of the popular vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Yet the commission continues to deny these parties an opportunity to meet it. This is most unfortunate and to put it mildly, unprecedented”.

Last week, the poll body, in response to Jairam’s December 30, 2023, letter, had brushed aside concerns about EVMs, saying that it had full faith in these and even directed the INDIA bloc parties to various FAQs related to EVMs and VVPATs.

This, he said, “illustrates and underscores exactly why we have been asking the commission for an audience, to discuss these unresolved and legitimate queries. Your point-blank refusal to even engage with political participants on EVMs or VVPATs is a matter of grave concern for all political parties.

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