KOLKATA: CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury Tuesday said although there are no concrete evidence of tampering of electronic voting machines, several questions and apprehensions have cropped up over its functioning.
All the major political parties may discuss the matter together and take up the issue with the Election commission (EC) with the demand for setting up of an expert committee to look into the matter, Yechury said.
Several questions have been raised over the functioning of EVMs during the Lok Sabha polls, he said.
"In Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, the BJP swept the polls. But within a week when municipal polls were held on ballot papers, the Congress-JD(S) swept the polls. The same thing has happened elsewhere," the CPI(M) leader said.
On the demands by several parties to replace EVMs with ballot papers, Yechury said the major political parties might discuss the matter after the Parliament session is over and ask the EC to constitute an expert panel to look into the matter.
Asked whether the Trinamool Congress would also be part of the meeting of the national parties, he said any party who wants free and fair election are free to join the meeting.
"All the political parties going together to the EC should not be mixed up as a political alliance of any sort. We have already ruled out any form of alliance or adjustment with the TMC," Yechury said.
Reacting to TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee's demand for returning of ballot papers, he said the most important criteria for holding elections in West Bengal is free and fair atmosphere.
"She (Banerjee) is saying the BJP rigged elections by using EVMs. We have seen how her party had rigged panchayat polls by using ballot papers," the CPI(M) leader said.
Yechury, however, added that it is the prerogative of the state government to decide whether it wants to hold panchayat and municipal polls by using ballot papers or EVMs.