EVM hacking: 22 non-BJP parties to meet Election Commission, says AP CM Naidu
Syed Akbar | TNN | Jan 22, 2019, 19:19 IST
VIJAYAWADA: A day after he tweeted that electronic voting machines (EVMs) are susceptible for hacking, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said soon representatives of 22 non-BJP parties will meet Election Commission (EC) and lodge a complaint against EVMs.
He called for a national debate on the use of EVMs vs paper ballots. Naidu told TDP leaders through a teleconference that there should be no room for suspicion in democracy and none should have doubts on the voting process. “Democracy in doubt is dangerous”, he stated.
Only after the TDP fought the issue, did voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) receipts were introduced, Naidu said adding that the print on the receipt was "very light and melted quickly". VVPAT was not made available in all constituencies.
Naidu said international cyber experts had warned that EVMs could be tampered, providing ample evidence. He said 120 countries do not use EVMs and only 20 countries used the machines for voting. "The TDP had encouraged the technology but there is a danger of its misuse. People should be wary of EVMs and should have more awareness on them", he added.
Continuing his tirade against the BJP, Naidu said the party was worried when it said that the non-BJP alliance had four prime ministers. The BJP was shaken after Kolkata rally.
Naidu alleged that Union minister Nitin Gadkari had lied when he said Andhra Pradesh got more funds than others. Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh got more funds and the bullet train project alone was allocated over Rs one lakh crore.
"What AP got were roads, which collected toll fee and the BJP leaders claim as though they had done a favour to the state. AP got the funds along with others and there was nothing special," he remarked.
He said the detailed project report-2 of Polavaram project was delayed by a year though the Centre promised to clear it in a month. Gadkari owed an explanation to this, he said.
He said states received funds only with Modi's approval and Modi is a symbol of discrimination. "Andhra Pradesh has not developed with BJP's help but due to our own efforts and the entire credit for developing AP goes to the TDP," Naidu said.
He also noted that AP was ranked 49 in WEF Index whereas India was ranked 58. Pasupu-Kumkuma meetings will be held on January 25 in Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Kadapa. As many as 95 lakh women would be alleviated from poverty and efforts were on to ensure each woman got an income of Rs.10,000 per month.
He called for a national debate on the use of EVMs vs paper ballots. Naidu told TDP leaders through a teleconference that there should be no room for suspicion in democracy and none should have doubts on the voting process. “Democracy in doubt is dangerous”, he stated.
Only after the TDP fought the issue, did voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) receipts were introduced, Naidu said adding that the print on the receipt was "very light and melted quickly". VVPAT was not made available in all constituencies.
Naidu said international cyber experts had warned that EVMs could be tampered, providing ample evidence. He said 120 countries do not use EVMs and only 20 countries used the machines for voting. "The TDP had encouraged the technology but there is a danger of its misuse. People should be wary of EVMs and should have more awareness on them", he added.
Continuing his tirade against the BJP, Naidu said the party was worried when it said that the non-BJP alliance had four prime ministers. The BJP was shaken after Kolkata rally.
Naidu alleged that Union minister Nitin Gadkari had lied when he said Andhra Pradesh got more funds than others. Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh got more funds and the bullet train project alone was allocated over Rs one lakh crore.
"What AP got were roads, which collected toll fee and the BJP leaders claim as though they had done a favour to the state. AP got the funds along with others and there was nothing special," he remarked.
He said the detailed project report-2 of Polavaram project was delayed by a year though the Centre promised to clear it in a month. Gadkari owed an explanation to this, he said.
He said states received funds only with Modi's approval and Modi is a symbol of discrimination. "Andhra Pradesh has not developed with BJP's help but due to our own efforts and the entire credit for developing AP goes to the TDP," Naidu said.
He also noted that AP was ranked 49 in WEF Index whereas India was ranked 58. Pasupu-Kumkuma meetings will be held on January 25 in Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Kadapa. As many as 95 lakh women would be alleviated from poverty and efforts were on to ensure each woman got an income of Rs.10,000 per month.
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