Mayawati says voting should go 'back to ballot papers'

Lucknow, Dec 9 (PTI) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday said the country should move away from electronic voting machines (EVMs) and return to the ballot paper system, citing continued doubts over electronic voting.

In a post on X in Hindi, Mayawati said, "Our party suggests that to address the persistent complaints of irregularities in EVMs during and after elections, and to restore complete confidence in the electoral process, the system of voting through EVMs should be replaced with the traditional ballot paper system." "If this is not immediately feasible, then at the very least, the slips that fall into the VVPAT box during voting should be counted at all polling booths and compared with the EVM vote counts," she said.

The reason given by the Election Commission for not doing this, that it would take too much time, is completely unjustified, Mayawati said.

"A few extra hours for counting should not be a concern, especially considering that the entire election process spans several months. This is crucial because it will increase public confidence in the electoral process and put an end to the numerous doubts and suspicions that arise, which would ultimately be in the best interest of the nation," the BSP chief said. PTI NAV AKY