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UP polls: Political parties must be taken into confidence before moving EVMs, says former CEC
Former CEC SY Quraishi, however, said there was nothing wrong with the movement of EVMs for the purpose of training after the polls and before the counting. This, he added, was a routine practice in every election.
Amid a controversy over electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Uttar Pradesh, former chief election commissioner (CEC) SY Quraishi on Wednesday said that there were apparently some serious lapses in the transportation of EVMs. The Election Commission (EC), he suggested, must come out with a convincing and irrefutable counter to the allegations at the earliest.
He, however, said that there was nothing wrong with the movement of EVMs for the purpose of training after the polls and before the counting. This, he added, was a routine practice in every election.
“But EVMs, whether empty or polled ones, are supposed to be guarded 24x7 even during non-poll times and the officials must take political parties into confidence before the EVMs are moved out even for the purpose of training,” he said to HT over the phone.
“Second, EVMs must be guarded properly when they are transported by a private vehicle,” he said. “Questions are being raised because these two norms were probably not complied with in Varanasi,” he added.
Quraishi said the commission must have also shown proof to political parties that the EVMs in question were not the polled ones. Delay by the commission is giving a foolproof explanation, he said, was deepening the controversy.
Chief electoral officer (Uttar Pradesh) Ajay Kumar Shukla said there were set SOPs (standard operating procedures) for the movement of polled and demo EVMs. All the SOPs, he claimed had been followed as per the report received from the Varanasi district magistrate.
He, however, avoided giving a direct reply to the specific question on whether political parties were informed before EVMs were moved out for training purpose and also whether they were being guarded properly during transition.
Shukla claimed that EVMs were being transported for the purpose of training of the staff before the counting and they had been kept away from the strong room where the polled EVMs were kept.
“There is no truth in allegations and the EVMs are completely safe everywhere in the state,” he said with emphasis.
The controversy began after former chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday raised questions over the credibility and security of EVMs. Addressing a press conference, he accused the ruling BJP of trying to “steal” votes and claimed a truck carrying EVMs was “intercepted” in Varanasi.
Taking to Twitter, Akhilesh Yadav the same day said that the news of the EVMs being caught in Varanasi was giving a message to every assembly of UP to be alert.
“All the candidates and supporters of SP alliance should be ready with their cameras to thwart the attempt of rigging in the counting of votes. To protect youth, democracy and future, become soldiers in counting of votes,” Akhilesh Yadav said in the tweet.
Samajwadi Party leader Anand Bhadauriya said the suspicion arose because the EVMs in Varanasi were transported without informing the political parties.
“After our national president’s call, we are keeping a strict vigil on EVMs and will be extra alert on the counting day,” he said.
Bhadauriya, member of UP Legislative Council, claimed the SP was going to form the government after March 10 despite all the misuse of election machinery by the BJP.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman Sameer Singh hit out at Akhilesh Yadav for raising questions over the sanctity of EVMs. He said the former CM had acted very irresponsibly by provoking his party workers against the EVMs and the Election Commission.
“This shows the SP has admitted to its defeat and (is) unnecessarily blaming the EVMs,” he said.
“The opposition does not raise questions over EVMs when they win elections,” he added.
