india

Updated: Sep 12, 2019 15:51 IST

The BJP has demanded that electronic voting machines (EVMs) be used for municipal elections in Chhattisgarh, instead of the ballot papers being used now.

The dates of municipal elections are yet to be announced and could be held in mid-October.

A delegation of BJP submitted a memorandum to state election commissioner in this regard on Wednesday evening.

The BJP unit of Chhattisgarh raised three points in the memorandum , which include extension of the date of claims of objections in electoral roll, to review the delimitations of wards and use to EVMs.

“In municipal elections polling is more than 90 percent in most of wards hence the use of ballot papers will be a time taking process,” Dharmlal Kaushik, leader of opposition and senior leader of BJP, told HT on Thursday.

A delegation of senior leaders of BJP, including Kaushik, urban body election incharge Amar Agarwal, former minister Brijmohan Agarwal and Raipur MP Sunil Soni reached state election commission’s office.

“Even a little possibility of use of ballot papers is rattling BJP. We came to know that all the top leaders visited state election commissioner’s office which shows their love towards EVMs. When BJP was in opposition, they used to oppose the use EVM and since Narendra Modi came in power, BJP is enjoying all the benefits of EVM. Congress and all major opposition parties have opposed the continuation of EVM,” said state Congress spokesperson, Shailesh Nitin Trivedi.

On the other hand, senior IAS officers in Chhattisgarh government claimed that the use of ballot papers in all elections of urban bodies had not yet been decided.

“It is technically not possible since EVM for every ward is impossible. In Raipur only there are 70 wards… but government may use EMVs for mayor election. Never in Chhattisgarh, EVM has been used for urban body elections,” said a senior IAS officer close to CM.

State election commissioner Thakur Ram Singh said the poll panel will look into the demands of BJP leaders.