india

Updated: Jan 26, 2019 20:03 IST

Claiming that there were 100% chances for hacking Electronic Voting Machines, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu Saturday warned that democracy could not be sacrificed to hackers.

He demanded that the Election Commission of India either ensure VVPAT receipts were issued 100 % or revert to the old ballot paper system.

Addressing a meeting of Telugu Desam Party MPs here, he noted that anybody could misuse technology.

“It’s easy to misuse technology. It is particularly easy for the one who writes the (software) programme.

The Election Commission is only a referee. It should not enforce a system on which there is no trust,” the TDP chief remarked.

Stating that people were the main partners in elections, he said enhancing faith in the people was democracy.

“Political parties are only raising the people’s demand.

Many parties are opposed to the EVMs.

Even developed countries have not been using EVMs and hence the EC should not exert pressure on using a system in which there is no faith,” Chandrababu added.

He asked his party MPs to raise the issue in Parliament and oppose the use of EVMs in the ensuing elections.

Meanwhile, the TDP opposed the Centre’s reported move to introduce a full Budget for the 2019-20 financial year.

Chandrababu asked his MPs to exert pressure on the Centre to make it introduce only a vote-on-account budget.

“It’s wrong in a democracy for a government, which has a mandate (left) only for two months, to present a budget for the next 10 months as well.

That’s an undemocratic way. This government is trying to take decisions that a new government ought to take,” TDPP leader Y Satyanarayana Chowdary later told reporters.