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MPs demand EVM
tampering issue be looked into
The Economic Times,
August 26, 2010
In the backdrop of
the arrest of a man who raised doubts about EVMs, several MPs
today said the issue of alleged tampering of the voting machines
should be looked into thoroughly and an all-party meeting be
called to discuss the issue.
BJP has maintained
that EVMs used in India were not tamper-proof and a paper
back-up should be used during elections. The party's top brass,
including L K Advani and Nitin Gadkari, have expressed doubts
about the authenticity of these machines.
"A computer
readjustment of the programme (in an EVM) and we will be sitting
in the opposition forever," BJP MP Maneka Gandhi said. She
mentioned the case in Florida, USA, in which EVMs were
reportedly tampered.
She said an
all-party meeting should be called and opinion of experts sought
on the issue.
Former Jammu and
Kashmir Chief Minister and Union Minister Farooq Abdullah said
during his tenure as CM, the EVMs were introduced for the first
time and questions were raised then on whether these machines
were "foolproof".
"I think they should
probe first. You have to be very clear that the machines are
foolproof....it should be free of doubt," Abdullah said.
Asked if he felt
this calls for an all-party meeting on the issue, Abdullah
answered in the affirmative.
Trinamool Congress
Chief Whip in Lok Sabha Sudip Bandopadhyaya said EVMs made the
voting pattern quicker but at the same time these should be
above any doubts.
"We have not taken
any decision (on EVMs). We had our allegations once, no doubt.
But now we have done well (electorally)," Bandopadhyaya said.
Hari Prasad,
technical coordinator of VeTA (Citizens for Verifiability,
Transparency and Accountability in Elections), who claimed that
electronic voting machines could be tampered with, was arrested
from Hyderabad on Saturday last in connection with the theft of
an EMV.
The Election
Commission has termed as "patently false" the allegation that
Prasad was arrested at its behest.
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