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The recent electoral setbacks suffered by the Indian National Congress (INC) have sparked a renewed push for a return to ballot paper voting. Following significant losses in Maharashtra and Haryana, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has publicly voiced his concerns about the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) currently used in Indian elections. His call for a return to the older system of ballot papers highlights a growing sentiment within the party and among some segments of the Indian electorate that the current system is flawed and potentially susceptible to manipulation. Kharge's statement, made at the 'Samvidhan Rakshak Abhiyaan' function in Delhi, explicitly stated his distrust in EVMs and his belief that they disenfranchise marginalized communities. He urged a nation-wide campaign, mirroring the scale and impact of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, to galvanize public support for this change.
This call is not isolated to Kharge. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress chief Nana Patole echoed similar sentiments, refusing to accept the Maharashtra Assembly election results and citing concerns about the alleged manipulation of EVMs. Patole highlighted the public perception that votes are being misrepresented, leading to a disconnect between the public will and the election outcome. This sentiment is shared by several other Congress leaders who point towards the Haryana state polls where discrepancies in EVM performance fueled suspicion of tampering. The Congress's repeated allegations of EVM manipulation, coupled with their significant losses in key states, point to a broader strategic shift within the party, questioning the fairness and transparency of the current electoral process. The narrative surrounding EVMs and their potential for manipulation is now central to the Congress's political strategy.
The timing of Kharge's demand is significant. It comes on the same day that the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking a return to ballot paper voting. The Court's reasoning, that such allegations are typically raised only after electoral defeat, underlines the political context surrounding the debate. This highlights the deep-seated mistrust between the Congress party and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has consistently dismissed accusations of EVM manipulation as baseless. The Supreme Court's decision, however, does not quell the growing concerns within the opposition about the fairness of the EVM system and the need for greater transparency and accountability in the electoral process. The call for a return to ballot papers is not merely a reaction to electoral losses, but also represents a challenge to the prevailing electoral machinery and its perceived biases. The lack of a transparent and irrefutable mechanism to independently verify the accuracy of EVM counts fuels further suspicion.
The central argument of the Congress hinges on the perceived lack of transparency and verifiability in the EVM system. They argue that the lack of a paper trail makes it difficult, if not impossible, to audit the results and detect any potential manipulation. In contrast, ballot papers offer a physical record that can be independently verified, ensuring greater accountability. The Congress's call for a large-scale public campaign indicates a recognition that changing the electoral system requires significant public support and pressure. The strategic use of the Bharat Jodo Yatra as a model highlights their belief in the power of grassroots mobilization to achieve systemic change. This highlights a calculated effort by the party to shift the public narrative and place the focus on the credibility of the electoral process itself.
The response from the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BJP has been predictable. The Chief Election Commissioner has repeatedly affirmed the integrity and robustness of the EVM system, emphasizing its security features and the lack of evidence to support claims of widespread manipulation. The BJP, meanwhile, has dismissed the Congress's concerns as sour grapes and a desperate attempt to deflect from its own failures. This entrenched political polarization surrounding the issue further complicates any attempts at meaningful reform. The debate is not merely about technical aspects of voting machines but also about trust in democratic institutions and processes. The Congress's strategy of highlighting public perception and dissatisfaction with the EVM system is a calculated attempt to build a wider coalition of support, going beyond their own party base.
Source: "Don't Want EVMs, We Want Ballot Paper": Mallikarjun Kharge Days After Maharashtra Loss