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Journalism of Courage
Latching onto Tripura BJP chief Biplab Deb’s alleged remarks over electronic voting machines, the CPI(M) has asked the Election Commission to link the machines to voter verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) to ensure fair polls in future. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury in a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, contended that linking VVPAT to EVMs can help “restore” confidence among the people on fair electoral process.
Yechury insisted the Commission to take action against Deb for allegedly stating that even if Tripura Chief Minister and CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar casts vote, the same will go to the BJP. During the April 12 meeting, the BJP leader had also allegedly dared Sarkar to lodge a case against him. VVPAT dispenses a slip with the symbol of the party the elector has voted for using EVM. Thus, proving that the EVM has faithfully recorded the vote. “In the light of these developments, it is imperative that the EVMs that will be used in Tripura must all be linked with the VVPAT.
“This is the least that can be done to restore some confidence amongst the Tripura electorate on the fairness of the electoral process in coming elections,” Yechury said in his letter sent to the EC today. Tripura, one of the two states where the CPI(M) is in power along with other Left parties, will go to polls next year. On April 10, the CPI(M), along with 15 other opposition parties, had urged the EC to revert to the paper ballot system in future polls, saying tampering allegations have created “trust deficit” on the reliability of the voting machines.
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