PM hails SC verdict on EVMS; not a party to petition: Cong

PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi Friday welcomed the Supreme Court’s move to reject complete cross- verification of votes cast using EVMS.

At a rally in Arrah Friday, Modi said: “Now that the poor and honest people have been empowered by EVMS, those who rigged polls are worried. So, they try day and night to get EVMS removed. Each leader of the INDI alliance has committed the sin of creating suspicions about EVMS in people’s minds. But look at the strength of democracy and the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar, today the Supreme Court has given such a jolt to those who wanted to loot ballot boxes that all their dreams have been shattered. The court has clearly said today that the era of ballot papers shall not return.”

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote on X: “The Indian

National Congress was not a party, directly or indirectly, to the petition on VVPATS which has been rejected by the Supreme Court today. We have taken note of the verdict of the two- judge bench and our political campaign on the greater use of VVPATS to increase the public trust in the electoral process.”

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said that similar doubts against the EVMS were made by BJP stalwart L K Advani and advised the ruling party to start with him.

"So, in 2009, was Mr Advani misleading the nation? When he released the book of G V L Narasimha against EVMS, when Mr Advani was championing the cause of leading a protest against EVMS, was he misleading the nation? The Prime Minister should do basic homework, instead of focusing on Nehru ji, he should start focusing on Advani ji. He will stop talking irresponsibly,” Khera said.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, when asked about the decision on the sidelines of a poll rally in UP'S Kasganj, urged the people to make the INDIA bloc victorious and said EVMS must be done away with.

The Communist Party of India said in a statement: “Supreme Court’s rejection of pleas demanding 100% counting of VVPATS has raised further apprehensions on the credibility of EVMS. By suggesting that a barcode be printed on VVPAT slips for mechanical counting, the SC has implicitly accepted that there can be discrepancies between votes registered in EVMS and paper slips.”

It added, “Directions to store the symbol loading unit for at least 45 days after the election also suggests that there exists the potential of tampering. Verification of EVMS by EVM manufacturers themselves raises the question of conflict of interest. To reinstate trust in the voting process and to make the polling exercise foolproof, we will continue to demand greater transparency and 100% verification of VVPATS.”