E-Paper
'Difference in votes of EVMs but don't have proof,' says Sharad Pawar after Maharashtra poll loss
Opposition leaders have been raising questions over EVMs after the Maharashtra Assembly elections
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday alleged discrepancies in votes polled through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMS) in Maharashtra assembly elections, but added that his party does not have any proof in this regard, reported ANI.
"There is some difference in the votes of EVMs but at the moment I do not have any proof in this regard. Some people have demanded recounting. Whatever is possible in this matter will be done. Some people have applied for recounting. Let's see what happens in that but I do not have much hope from this," he was quoted as saying by the news agency.
Pawar also said that the recent elections in Maharashtra have made people very relentless, and claimed that there is disappointment among them.
Also Read | Maharashtra polls: MVA seeks EVM data; in self-introspection mode
“This has happened for the first time, the elections held in the country have made people very restless, there is disappointment among the people...Every day at 11:00 am, the opposition leaders raise questions in the Parliament. They put forward their point but their demands are not being accepted in the Parliament and this clearly means that Parliamentary democracy is not being followed properly,” Pawar said.
" If it continues like this, then it is not right and for this, we will have to go among the people and make them aware," he told reporters in Pune, according to ANI.
The Opposition has raised questions over EVMs after the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Earlier on Friday, while claiming that the "integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised," the Congress party criticised the Election Commission and vowed to launch a "national movement".
"The Congress Working Committee (CWC) believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission. Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take up these public concerns as a national movement," the Congress said in a statement.
In response, the poll body, rejected its claims but has invited a Congress delegation to discuss the issue further on December 3.
Maharashtra election result
Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a major setback in the recently held Maharashtra state elections as the party won just 16 seats out of 288 assembly segments while its ally Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, won 20 seats, and the NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction secured just 10 seats.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance emerged victorious with 233 seats. The BJP got 132 seats, while its allies--the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar – secured 57 and 41 seats respectively.
