Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara claims ‘EVM hacking’ in Maharashtra, demands to bring back ballot papers

G Parameshwara demanded to reintroduce the ballot papers in Indian elections and said that an internal discussion had been done with senior AICC leaders.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara claimed that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were selectively hacked for the benefit of the BJP in Maharashtra. G Parameshwara demanded to reintroduce the ballot papers in Indian elections and said that an internal discussion had been done with senior AICC leaders.

Karnataka home minister Parameshwara. (PTI)

What G Parameshwara said?

Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara said, “People are aware of the result in Maharashtra where MVA lost big time in the assembly election. We doubt a selective hacking of EVMs in a few constituencies of Maharashtra. The BJP does not do it in every constituency to avoid scrutiny. All the senior AICC leaders were discussing this after the result and I think the ballot papers should come back in democracy.”

Parameshwara also said that it will be challenging to stop BJP from winning, as long as EVMs are used for elections. “In a meeting, we discussed that it will be tough for Congress or other parties to come to power if EVMs are used in elections. Many developed nations around the globe are still using ballot paper for elections, so why can't we just go back to them? That will clear all the existing doubts on EVMs,” Parameshwara said.

In a response to G Parameshwara, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “I was under the impression that Parameshwara is a mature politician. But he also talks like Rahul Gandhi. If EVMs are hacked, how did Congress win 135 seats in the Karnataka assembly election? What about Jharkhad’s result? It does not make sense to blame EVMs every time they lose an election.”

The Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, comprising the BJP, chief minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and the NCP, delivered a massive mandate in the state elections, securing 230 out of 288 assembly seats. BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde are competing for the Chief Minister’s post in Maharashtra.