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This is an archive article published on November 27, 2024
After Maharashtra rout, state Congress chief Patole says will kickstart sign campaign for ballot papers
On Tuesday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge gave a call to set up a mass movement seeking ballot papers instead of EVMs.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole addresses a press conference at Tilak Bhavan, in Mumbai on Wednesday. (PTI Photo)
A day after the Supreme Court dismissed a public-interest litigation (PIL) seeking re-introduction of ballot papers in place of electronic voting machines (EVMs), state Congress president Nana Patole on Wednesday said that the party will kickstart a “sign campaign” across Maharashtra in two days for the return of ballot papers .
“Our party president Mallikarjun Kharge has made an announcement to raise a people’s movement demanding ballot paper instead of EVMs. As a part of it, we will undertake a sign campaign in the state and those applications will be sent to the President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and Election Commission of India,” said Patole.
On Tuesday, Kharge gave a call to set up a mass movement seeking ballot papers instead of EVMs.
The party’s call for ballot papers came after MVA’s rout in the Maharashtra Assembly elections and its own disastrous performance in Haryana last month.
SC dismisses challenge to EVMs
The Supreme Court on Tuesday, while dismissing a petition challenging EVMs, had said: “What happens is, if you win the elections, EVMs are not tampered with. When you lose elections, EVMs are tampered (with).”
Patole termed the comments as political in nature and not based on laws.
“Whether the courts can make such a political statement needs to be seen. But instead of this, the court should have given reference to the recommendations made in the law,” he said.
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Meanwhile, the senior leadership of Maharashtra Congress on Wednesday held its meeting for the first time after the party’s debacle in the recently held Assembly polls where it managed to win only 16 out of the 101 seats it contested.
The meeting passed a resolution giving all rights to elect a legislative party leader and chief whip to party president Kharge.
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