india

Updated: Apr 14, 2017 00:41 IST

Amid raging controversy over the functioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs), the State Election Commission (SEC) is planning to use ballot papers in the elections to all the 654 urban local bodies in Uttar Pradesh.

In 2012, the SEC had used EVMs in election to the posts of mayors and corporators in 14 municipal corporations. The SEC had used ballot papers in elections to Nagar Palika parishad (202) and Nagar Panchayats (438).

The SEC proposes to hold the elections to urban local bodies in June-July 2017.

“We may use ballot paper in urban local bodies’ elections this time if the Election Commission fails to provide us with new EVMs. We have approached the ECI to give us new machines with latest technology. I have spoken to chief election commissioner Naseem Zaidi on the issue. We are waiting for his response. We will use ballot papers if the SEC does not get new EVMs,” state election commissioner SK Agarwal told HT over phone.

Though Agarwal maintained that the move had nothing to do with the political parties’ allegation that the EVMs had been tampered during the recent assembly elections, it may bring the issue into focus again.