Despite win, BSP leader doubts EVMs

HARIDWAR: A newly elected Bahujan Samaj Party legislator from Haridwar district has questioned the voting and counting process through electronic voting machines, negating the notion that only politicians after losing elections blame the EVMs.

Mohammed Shahzad, who got elected in the assembly polls from the Laksar segment with a winning margin of over 10,000 votes, has urged the Election Commission to resort back to the ballot box-printed paper mode of election process.

“EVMs can be manipulated; particularly a state government can misuse its powers during voting and counting. So to ensure a free, transparent and tamper-free election, voting through ballot paper should be done,” said Shahjad, who was earlier elected two times as an MLA from Bahadrabad.

“Why are the Indian government and the Election Commission carrying on with EVM mode when many political parties, parliamentarians and legislators have objected to relying on electronic voting instead of manual mode?” asked the BSP MLA.

Voicing a similar concern, Dinesh Rawat, an independent candidate from Cantt segment in Dehradun district, has alleged manipulation of EVMs by the BJP. The assembly election results were declared on March 10.Dinesh Rawat who bagged 1,056 votes claimed that he had got more votes but EVM’s were hacked and votes polled in his name were later shown in the name of the BJP candidate.

Both Shahzad and Rawat have urged the state election commission for an inquiry into the matter. When asked about the allegations, BJP legislator from Ranipur-BHEL Adesh Chauhan said, “EVMs have been successful in past two decades, be it in parliamentary or assembly elections. An open challenge by the Election Commission to political parties and technology experts a few years back also proved that EVMs can’t be tampered with or hacked.”