Not possible to manipulate EVMs, says Ajit Pawar in Pune

Ajit Pawar said that those who lose elections often blame EVMs, but the mandate of the people should be understood.

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar said the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) are trustworthy and can’t be manipulated.

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar said the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) are trustworthy and can’t be manipulated. (HT FILE PHOTO)

While speaking in Pune on Saturday, Pawar said, the EVMs cannot be manipulated by a single person. According to Pawar, those political parties which lose elections often blame EVMs for their performance, but they should understand that electoral defeat is the mandate of the people.

“I trust EVMs. A single person cannot manipulate EVMs. It’s a big system and multiple checks are involved. However, the party which faces defeat in polls blames the voting machine but one should understand that the poll outcome is the mandate of the people,” said Pawar.

“Had EVMs been defective, opposition parties couldn’t have formed governments in various states including Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu etc.,” he added.

Pawar’s remarks came a day after Sena leader Sanjay Raut spoke against EVM crediting Narendra Modi’s victory.

Notably, the NCP leader was responding to a query on an editorial published in Saturday’s edition of Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ which claimed the BJP wins elections by “hacking” EVMs and congratulated Bangladesh poll body for “doing away with EVMs and deciding to use ballot papers for the next elections”.