SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP) today demanded the Election Commission to consider using ballot paper instead of electronic voting machines (EVMs) while conducting the Assembly elections in Meghalaya due early next year.
This is one of the three resolutions adopted by the party during its general council meeting held in the city. The meeting was attended by senior leaders, party candidates and workers from the different parts of the state.
"We have unanimously decided to demand the ECI to exempt the use of EVMs in the upcoming 2018 elections in Meghalaya," UDP senior working president Bindo M Lanong told reporters after the meeting here.
Stating that it is high time that elections to small states in the North East region should be conducted by reverting back to the use of secret ballot paper, Lanong said this is because the EVMs or VVPAT are man-made machines which can be easily "tampered and hacked".
Today’s general council meeting also decided to organise a public rally on January 11, next year where the party would also released its manifesto for Assembly elections in 2018.