EC 'Failed' To Respond To Concerns Over EVMs: Congress Seeks Clarification From Poll Body

Ramesh said that instead of a "substantive response" to I.N.D.I.A. parties' concerns over EVMs, the poll body has repeatedly directed them to "generic FAQS" as the answer book for all queries.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday has once again written to the Election Commission after the poll watchdog failed to provide a "substantive response" to I.N.D.I.A parties' genuine concerns over EVMs.

Has said that instead, the Election Commission has repeatedly directed them to "generic FAQS" as the answer book for all queries, reported PTI.

Ramesh has written to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar over the poll body's response to his earlier letter in which the poll watchdog had dismissed the Congress leader's concerns on VVPATs.

"I had made an express request for an appointment for the INDIA parties' leaders with the Hon'ble Commission. I had even specified the agenda for the appointment discussion and suggestions on the usage of VVPATs for the upcoming elections," the Congress leader said in his letter dated January 7.

He further stated, "The Election Commission's response, while completely brushing aside our request for an appointment, has yet again failed to provide a substantive response to our queries and genuine concerns over EVMs. Instead, the Commission has been repeatedly directing us to generic ECI FAQs as the answer book for all queries in respect of EVMs and VVPATS."

He said that when the Commission was informed that concerns remain unaddressed by the FAQs, the panel, instead of offering clarification, labelled the queries as based on an "inadequate or incorrect" appreciation of FAQs and EVM resource material, reported PTI.

"This illustrates and underscores exactly why we have been asking the Commission for an audience, to discuss these unresolved and legitimate queries. Your point blank refusal to even engage with political participants on EVMs or VVPATs, is a matter of grave concern for all political parties and not just those who belong to the INDIA alliance," Ramesh said.

In the letter, the senior Congress leader said that it is also surprising to note that the Commission has been taking refuge behind judicial orders while also reminding us that Public Interest Litigations filed on the issue of EVMs and VVPATs have been dismissed with monetary costs.

Be that as it may, these litigations have no bearing on the queries raised, Ramesh contended, reported PTI.

Furthermore, the Commission is well aware that the pendency of any judicial proceedings pertaining to VVPATs, does not bar the Commission from discussing or hearing the suggestions of INDIA parties, he argued.

"In fact, there is no judicial order which restrains this Commission from meeting the INDIA Parties' leaders on the issue of EVMs or VVPATS," Ramesh said.

"This request is being made on behalf of the INDIA parties, which have given our country prime ministers, chief ministers and a very large number of distinguished political leaders. INDIA parties commanded over 60% of the popular vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Yet the Commission continues to deny these parties an opportunity to meet with it. This is most unfortunate and to put it very mildly, unprecedented," he said.

"Therefore, with the upcoming General Elections scheduled to be held soon, I once again respectfully request the Commission meet with a small delegation of INDIA parties and at least listen to what it has to say on the issue of VVPATS," Ramesh said.

However, the Election Commission on Friday dismissed Ramesh's concerns on the VVPATs and said it raised "no new assertions or reasonable and legitimate doubts which require further clarifications."

It further stated that the rules governing paper slips were introduced by the grand old party-led government in 2013, reported PTI.

In a communication to Ramesh, the poll body also expressed "full faith in the use of the EVMs in the elections" and made it clear that the latest updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) answer "adequately and comprehensively" all reasonable and legitimate aspects on the use of the EVMs in Indian elections.

Last year on December 30, Ramesh had written to the Election Commission requesting that a delegation of the I.N.D.I.A. Alliance be given an appointment to put forth their views on the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.