EVM Tampering: INDIA Bloc To Move Supreme Court, Demands Polls To Be Conducted By Ballot Paper

The Opposition alliance has accused the ruling NDA of manipulating the Haryana and Maharashtra assembly elections. They claim the process was skewed to benefit the government. The INDIA bloc plans to challenge these alleged irregularities in the Supreme Court by Friday, focusing on election procedures and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Opposition's Allegations

EVMs have been a point of contention between the Opposition INDIA bloc and the NDA. The Opposition has repeatedly accused the BJP of rigging polls to achieve favourable outcomes. After the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections, similar accusations were made by the INDIA bloc.

In Haryana, exit polls had predicted a decisive win for the Opposition. However, BJP secured 48 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while Congress managed only 37. This left Congress embarrassed after celebrating prematurely based on exit poll predictions.

Haryana Election Results

The Congress party, which had performed unexpectedly well in Lok Sabha polls, ended up second in Haryana. They accused BJP of corrupting the counting process, alleging EVM tampering to skew results in BJP's favour.

Maharashtra's election results mirrored this scenario. Exit polls suggested a tight race, but Mahayuti returned with a significant majority, winning 235 out of 288 seats. This led to further allegations from the Opposition against NDA.

Maharashtra Election Controversy

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut accused the ruling alliance of "stealing seats." He blamed former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud for their defeat and demanded a repoll using ballot papers, asserting that Maha Vikas Aghadi would win if EVMs were discarded.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray expressed disbelief at NDA's victory. He questioned how they could win so many seats in just four months and contrasted this with INDIA bloc's performance in Lok Sabha polls.

NDA's Response

The NDA dismissed these allegations, arguing that Opposition raises EVM tampering claims only when they lose but ignore it when they win. The BJP questioned why INDIA bloc didn't challenge EVM legitimacy in Jharkhand or Jammu and Kashmir where they gained power.

These ongoing disputes highlight deep divisions over electoral processes in India. As both sides prepare for legal battles, public trust in democratic institutions remains at stake amidst these controversies.