UPA members after meeting the EC (PTI)

NEW DELHI: Two days before the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls, politics over EVMs flared up on Tuesday with the opposition parties approaching the Election Commission over alleged “unsecured” movement of the voting machines in some places while the ruling BJP called the allegations “frivolous” and an “alibi in the face of imminent defeat”.

Leaders of 22 opposition parties met the EC and presented some video clippings alleging “unauthorised” movement of EVMs, as also to demand verification of VVPAT slips before counting of votes on the voting machines.

Deploy central forces in UP for vote count: BSP

Following protests in UP after videos of alleged movement and tampering of EVMs went viral on social media, the EC dismissed them as “frivolous” and “unfounded”, saying the voting machines used for the seven-phase polls are “absolutely safe” in strongrooms. It said the clippings circulated on TV and social media “do not pertain to any EVMs used during the polls”.

Taking a jibe at the opposition, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “They are creating an unnecessary storm about EVMs. They are seeking a reason to justify their defeat. When they won Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh, they didn’t raise a single question.” BJP’s G V L Narsimha Rao said the opposition is desperately seeking an alibi for its impending massive defeat.

In a memorandum, the leaders also demanded that in case of any mismatch during VVPAT verification, VVPAT slips of all polling stations of that particular assembly segment should be counted and compared with the EVM count.

“During polls, many EVMs malfunctioned and in many cases, when votes were cast, it showed votes for some other party, specially BJP,” Congress’s Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

BSP’s Satish Chandra Misra alleged “large-scale bungling relating to EVMs in UP” and sought deployment of central forces in the state during counting.

The delegation included Ashok Gehlot, Ahmed Patel (Congress), Andhra CM N Chandrababu Naidu, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal , TMC’s Derek O’Brien, SP’s Ram Gopal Yadav, Kanimozhi (DMK), RJD’s Manoj Jha, and NCP’s Majeed Memon.



In Video: Opposition leaders meet EC officials over EVM 'tampering' reports