In response to the latest correspondence from the Election Commission (EC), Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh expressed his concerns about the queries related to Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) and Electronic Voting Machines (EVM). The EC had refuted Ramesh’s allegations on VVPAT and EVM, asserting its “full faith” in the use of EVMs in elections.
Ramesh’s reply to the EC highlighted that the Commission’s response had failed to address the substantive queries and genuine concerns raised by the INDIA bloc regarding EVMs. He reiterated his earlier request for an appointment with a small delegation of the INDIA bloc to discuss and provide suggestions on the use of VVPATs in upcoming elections.
Despite the Commission directing parties to generic FAQs, Ramesh noted that their concerns remained unaddressed. He criticized the Commission for labeling their queries as based on an “inadequate or incorrect” understanding of the FAQs and EVE resource material.
Ramesh emphasized the importance of engaging with political participants on the issues of EVMs and VVPATs, stating that the Commission’s refusal to do so raised concerns for all political parties, not just those in the INDIA alliance. He expressed surprise at the Commission’s reliance on judicial orders and dismissal of public interest litigations, asserting that these litigations had no bearing on the queries raised.
The Congress General Secretary urged the Commission to meet with a small delegation of INDIA parties, emphasizing that the pendency of judicial proceedings did not bar the Commission from discussing or hearing the suggestions of the political bloc.
Ramesh highlighted the unprecedented nature of the Commission’s denial of an opportunity for political parties, which collectively commanded a significant share of votes in the 2019 elections, to meet with it. He called it unfortunate and urged the Commission to meet with a small delegation to address their concerns on VVPATs.
Earlier, on January 5, the EC had refuted Ramesh’s allegations, stating that the literature in the public domain adequately addressed all reasonable and legitimate aspects of the use of EVMs. The Commission affirmed its faith in the use of EVMs based on legal frameworks, established jurisprudence, technical security, and administrative safeguards. It rejected out-of-context references to other countries and their Constitutional Courts regarding the use of EVMs in elections. Ramesh had initially written to the EC on January 2, seeking an appointment to discuss the issue of VVPAT with a delegation of INDIA bloc leaders. The INDIA bloc had previously passed a resolution on EVMs and the suspension of MPs in a meeting on December 19, 2023.