Congress and its allies in the State have demanded that the Election Commission (EC) conduct the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections with ballot papers instead of EVMs following apprehensions being expressed over their tampering.
The parties have also requested the EC to institute an inquiry against Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana, Rajat Kumar, for the large-scale irregularities in the electoral rolls for the Assembly elections. At a dharna organised by the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) election coordination committee here on Thursday, they pointed out that Mr. Rajat Kumar had himself admitted after the polling about lapses resulting in missing names and apologised for it.
Chairman of the coordination committee Marri Shashidhar Reddy, TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Congress Legislature Party Leader M. Bhatti Vikramarka, former Minister D.K. Aruna, Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) president M. Kodandaram, State secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI) Chada Venkat Reddy, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders L. Ramana and R. Chandrasekhar Reddy and several others participated in the protest.
‘Or count all VVPAT slips’
Mr. Shashidhar Reddy said the Congress had been pointing out about the irregularities in the electoral rolls even before the commencement of process for the Assembly elections but there was neither any response nor action from the EC.
He alleged that Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had terrorised voters to vote in its favour and there was need to reinstate confidence of voters in the election process either by re-introduction of ballot paper system or by counting all voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips. TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy said their demand for counting of VVPAT slips even after pointing out the difference in the number of votes polled and counted was also brought to the EC notice. He noted that VVPAT slips were counted wherever doubts were expressed in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. He demanded that the next election be held with ballot papers and counting of VVPAT slips be taken up wherever the majority of winner is less than 10,000 votes.
‘Make it mandatory’
Stating that there was difference in the number of votes polled and counted in 8 to 9 constituencies, TJS president Mr. Kodandaram said counting of VVPAT slips should be made mandatory wherever candidates express doubts. He demanded that the EC take up inquiry against Mr. Rajat Kumar for the irregularities in the electoral rolls.