by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Parlt panel to probe EVM tampering in Maha civil polls
Exclusive
Complaints from Pune Nashik, Dhule
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, March 14
The Parliament's Standing committee of Home & Personnel has decided to look into the complaints of EVM tampering during Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Municipal Committee elections. It is pertinent to mention that earlier the Election Commission had dismissed the petition of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati's allegations of EVM tampering in recently held Assembly polls including Uttar Pradesh where Mayawati had made serious allegation of EVM tampering in the recently held Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Municipal Committee elections.
In an exclusive chat with Lokmat on Tuesday the chairman of Parliament's Standing Committee of Home Affairs, Anand Sharma said, "The committee has received compliants from various cities & districts of Maharashtra giving evidence of tampering of EVM machines."
When ask to elaborate, Sharma said, "We haveWe have received complaints from Pune, Nashik, Dhule and other places of EVM tampering. One candidate alleged that he and his 28 family members cast their votes in the Zila Parishad polls. But the EVM showed zero votes in his favour.” Sharma said that the committee is now seized o these complaints and information is being verified. The Election Commission officials are in touch with the Committee officials and we are going to look into it.”
The standing committee will also look into the Supreme Court order which had said that paper trail must be kept he said. Previously, Mayawati had dismissed the Uttar Pradesh assembly election results and called for fresh polls after BSP's crushing defeat. Mayawati also accused the BJP of murdering democracy saying, "Either the EVMs did not accept votes other than the BJP, or the votes of other parties have gone to BJP through these EVMs."
However the standing committee probing the EVM tampering allegations in itself is set to give a new dimension to the whole issue. The standing commission would also summon electronic engineers, suppliers and experts to look into the matter.
