New Delhi: Reacting strongly to the EVM controversy in Assam, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asked the Election Commission of India to take punitive action if a BJP leader has done anything wrong in the poll-bound state. Notably, a controversy has erupted after a vehicle that apparently belonged to BJP candidate Krishnendu Paul’s wife, was found transporting a polled EVM in Assam’s Karimganj district.

“I am not aware of the case as I was campaigning in South India yesterday. I will get the details. We have never stopped the Election Commission from taking any step. It must take action as per law and act strictly against those involved,” the Home Minister said speaking exclusively to India Today.

Meanwhile, Paul has defended himself and denied allegations of stealing the EVM, saying that his driver was in the car and he (driver) helped polling officials because they sought help. “My driver was in the car. Polling officials asked him for help and he obliged. There was a pass pasted on my car that said I am a BJP candidate. I can’t say whether the polling officials were aware of this or not. We simply helped,” he told the portal.

On the other hand, the Opposition has raised a question on the poll panel saying if the poll body does not wake up now and remains “complicit” it will be fatal for democracy.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the “EVM fraud” was for everyone to see and asked whether the EC needed the BJP’s help to carry EVMs. “EVM fraud is for everyone to see. EVMs found in the car of BJP MLA candidate Krishnedru Paul after the second phase of polling in Assam. Does the ECI need the BJP to carry the EVM’s. If the ECI doesn’t wake up even now and remains mute or complicit, it is fatal for democracy,” he said on Twitter.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the Election Commission needs to start acting decisively on reports of private vehicles transporting electronic voting machines, and a serious re-evaluation of the use of EVMs needs to be carried out by all national parties.

Tagging a tweet that carried a video showing EVMs in the car of a BJP candidate in Assam, she said every time there was an election, videos of private vehicles caught transporting EVMs show up. “Unsurprisingly they have the following things in common: The vehicles usually belong to BJP candidates or their associates. The videos are taken as one off incidents and dismissed as aberrations. The BJP uses its media machinery to accuse those who exposed the videos as sore losers,” she tweeted.

“The EC needs to start acting decisively on these complaints and a serious re-evaluation of the use of EVMs needs to be carried out by all national parties,” she said in a series of tweets.

(With agency inputs)