Amidst the controversies over the functioning of electronic voting machines, poll panel officials have said that there is no need to amend the law to use ballot papers for polling. However, the Election Commission still believes EVMs are a more reliable and safer means to carry out the democratic exercise.
Recently, many political parties including AAP, BSP and the Congress have raised the issue of EVMs and VVPAT not functioning properly. They also demanded polls in future to be held through use of ballot papers. These political parties have also claimed that the reliability of the electronic voting machines has come under cloud following the recently-held assembly polls
Following the controversies, questions were also being asked as to whether going back to the conventional system would require a change in the law.
Replying to this, am EC official said that the law provides for the use of both, the EVM and the ballot paper, to cast votes. He said that there is no need to change the law and it is the prerogative of the Commission to decide on whether to use EVM or the ballot paper.
The Representation of the people Act (1951) was amended in 1988 to introduce the use of EVMs for voting. The new Section 61 A, made it clear that any reference to a ballot box or ballot paper in the law or the rules be construed as including a reference to EVMs ‘wherever such voting machine is used at any election’. Therefore, as per law, both EVMs and ballot papers can be used, added the official.
Sources said that the Election Commission is thinking of inviting political parties in the coming days to try and hack its EVMs. Top EC officials had conveyed its plans to invite politicians and others to try tamper with the EVMs to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal when he had met them at EC office last week over the issue of reliability of the machines.
Many political parties intensified demands to do away with Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) on Saturday last week after a video of VVPAT machine dispensing the slip with BJP’s symbol when button of other party was pressed went viral. The EC had also ordered a probe into the alleged EVM tampering issue after the Congress party complained that the VVPAT machine printed a BJP slip in a trial vote. Kejriwal also said that the municipal election in Delhi should be postponed so that it can be held using ballot papers.