Opposition parties have united over the issue of alleged 'EVM tampering'; will meet election panel

Various opposition parties have decided to unite and take up the issue of alleged Electronic Voting Machines, or EVM tampering with the Election Commission. Their allegation is that faulty EVMs were used in the recently-held elections. They also want to put forth the demand that upcoming elections be held with 50 per cent use of VVPAT and ballot paper. Leaders of various opposition parties today met in Parliament and decided to jointly meet the Election Commission, demanding that their concerns on the issue be addressed.The opposition leaders decided to put forth their demand before the Election Commission for simultaneous use of VVPAT (paper trail of voting) and ballot paper in 50 per cent constituencies each for elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh slated later this year. "This will help check the voting system and dispel all doubts about their use in elections," said a leader.Opposition leaders have been demanding that VVPAT be introduced in all future elections. The Congress has also been pushing for use of ballot papers instead of EVMs in upcoming elections in view of the alleged tampering.The parties are demanding that the Election Commission dispel the apprehensions they have and reassure the people of the country and voters on the serious issue. The opposition parties observed that free and fair elections are the basic founding blocks on which the entire edifice of country has been maintained."Any erosion of these basic principles which sustain this edifice needs to be addressed forthwith and in the right earnest," said another leader.The opposition parties, including arch-rivals the Left and the Trinamool Congress, will meet the Election Commission.

Among those present at today's strategy meeting held at Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad's chamber in Parliament included Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha, besides JDU leader Ali Anwar Ansari, TMC leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, BSP leader Satish Misra and SP leader Neeraj Shekhar.NCP leader Majeed Memon, CPI leader D Raja, CPI-M leader CP Narayanan and RJD leader JP Narain Yadav were also present during the meeting and all decided to strongly raise the issue with the Election Commission.