‘EVMs can’t be a problem only when you lose elections’: Omar Abdullah takes dig at Congress

The National Congress leader emphasised that electoral machines remain the same regardless of the election outcome, and parties should not use them as a convenient excuse for defeat.

The Chief Minister said appropriate action would be taken after the report is submitted to him within 24 hours (PTI)

Questioning the Congress’s stance on EVMs, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said the voting machines “cannot be a problem only when you lose elections”.

“See, I have no problems with you making an issue out of the EVMs so long as you also do it when you win,” Omar told PTI in an interview. “EVMs can’t be a problem only when you lose the elections, because they are the same EVMs,” he said.

Omar’s National Conference is part of the INDIA bloc and the Congress is an alliance partner of the NC in J&K.

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“The thing is, how can you have problems with the EVMs and then continue to fight elections,” Omar said. “If you don’t trust the machines, then you shouldn’t be fighting elections. You can’t say I don’t trust the machines and I am going to fight. If I win, I am going to keep quiet and if I lose, then something is wrong with the machines,” he said.

He pointed out that if getting 100-plus members of Parliament in Lok Sabha elections “using the same EVMs” is celebrated as “sort of a victory for your party, you can’t then a few months later turn around and say well actually, we didn’t like the EVMs because the election results are not going the way we would like them to”, he told PTI.

When asked in the interview if he sounded like a BJP spokesperson over his stance on the EVMs, Omar said, “No, I am not a BJP spokesperson… It is just that what is right is right.”

He said that when he lost in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, he “never blamed the machines”.

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Elections are won or lost because of the voters, Omar said, adding: “One day they vote for you, another day, they don’t.”

Bashaarat Masood

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More

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