SHILLONG: Political parties in the state have called for tallying of the votes polled in EVMs with the voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips in all the 3,082 polling stations during counting in 2018 Assembly elections.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), United Democratic Party (UDP) among other parties made the demand during separate meetings with Chief Election Commissioner AK Jyoti here on Friday.
The demand came in the wake of the Election Commission saying that votes polled in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPAT will be tallied only in one polling station per constituency during the counting.
“We have demanded that EVMs and VVPAT should be tallied in all polling booths of Meghalaya but they (EC) said it was not possible as started the process as per Supreme Court direction that tallying of EVMs and VVPAT will be done in one polling booth of every constituency,” NCP working president, Vijay Raj told reporters after the meeting here.
He however said the party would continue to pursue the matter with the EC in view of the fact that Meghalaya was a small state, having only 60 constituencies.
Different political parties from the state also aired concern over EVMs before the Chief Election Commission of India, Achal Kumar Jyoti during his visit to Shillong.
NCP, UDP and KHNAM have raised the concern over the use of EVMs, saying “it’s fishy”.
The UDP which has been vocal against the use of EVMs and also passed a resolution in its executive committee meeting recently, said they have raised the matter again with the CEC.
UDP working president, Bindo M Lanong, after meeting the Chief Election Commissioner, questioned as to why a small state such as Meghalaya having just 60 seats cannot go for ballot paper.
“Over 50 per cent of the population has raised doubts over the EVMs,” Lanong said after the party’s meeting with the CEC.
Lanong, however said, the CEC seemed to be “a nice person” and has assured that the EVMs are “not tamperable” as these are standalone machines.
During the meeting, Jyoti also assured that if any doubts were raised during the elections process, the Election Commission would look into the matter.
“He has given an assurance to us and so we would now work out with the State Election Commission’s office with some of the finer details of our concerns,” he added.
Similarly, KHNAM also raised the issue of EVMs and also sought that a minimum education qualification and retirement age for politicians be fixed.
The NPP had no such concerns over the EVMs and sought more security during the election process.
The party said during the recent Lok Sabha by-elections in Tura, candidates were moving around with “heavy security” and violating the model code of conduct.
On the other hand, NCP raised the issue of security personnel stationed in the state capital in the Assam Regimental Centre and Gorkha Training Centre having Service Voter Identity Card and exercising their franchise in the state elections through postal ballot long after being posted outside Meghalaya.
“Personnel recruited from Nepal are also having these Service Voter Identity Cards. We have demanded that these cards be scrapped immediately,” NCP general secretary, S Thapa said.
The chief election commissioner was accompanied by election commissioners Sunil Arora and Om Prakash Rawat. The CEC which is on a two-day visit to Shillong met representatives of political parties from the state, senior police officials and deputy commissioners from different districts.
The team is here to review the poll preparedness in the state with the state election commission and other senior government officials.
As many as 12 political parties participated in the meeting.
Besides, the review meeting was held with all the SPs and DCs.
Security scenario was reviewed with senior state police officials dealing with the elections and CRPF officials.
Earlier, the Election Commission of India also launched a ‘democracy van’ to create awareness on EVMs and VVPAT machines.
On Monday, the central election officials will also hold meeting with DGP, Chief Secretary and officials of income tax and excise.
