Yugendra Pawar, 10 others from Pune district seek EVM data verification

In the recently concluded assembly elections, Ajit Pawar defeated Yugendra Pawar by around 1.02 lakh votes

PUNE: Yugendra Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) – who lost the Baramati seat to Ajit Pawar of the NCP in the recently concluded state assembly polls – has sought re-evaluation of EVM micro controllers.As per election norm, any candidate can seek re-evaluation of EVM data by paying a fee to the district collector’s office upon which, data from upto 5% of the EVMs per assembly segment are re-evaluated.

As per ECI rules, candidates can seek the process within seven days of the election results. (HT PHOTO)

In the recently concluded assembly elections, Ajit Pawar defeated Yugendra Pawar by around 1.02 lakh votes following which, Yugendra Pawar paid the requisite fee to the district collector’s office and sought EVM data verification. Besides Yugendra Pawar, 10 more candidates from Pune district have collectively paid ₹66 lakh in fees to the district collector’s office and sought re-evaluation of EVM micro controllers in their respective assembly constituencies.

Yugendra Pawar said, “Many people are raising doubts about EVM machines. It’s not just me who lost the elections but many senior leaders too faced shocking defeat. Even senior social reformers like Baba Adhav have raised doubts over EVMs. Keeping that in mind, we have applied for recounting as per legal provisions.”

Prashant Jagtap of the NCP (SP), who faced defeat in the Hadapsar assembly constituency, said, “As per Election Commission of India (ECI) rules, any candidate who contested the elections can seek EVM data verification by paying the requisite fees. I paid the fees and as per the law, the administration will recount 5% of the total votes on polling day.”

As per ECI rules, candidates can seek the process within seven days of the election results. According to the ECI, electronic voting machine (EVM) data has to be preserved for 45 days.

Yugendra Pawar, who began touring Baramati after his defeat, said, “I don’t believe in meeting voters just to ask for votes. Even after elections, we must meet them to thank them (both those who voted and did not vote). We met voters even after the Lok Sabha (LS) elections.”