Congress questions EC's impartiality over Assam EVM issue

Priyanka says that the videos are always taken as one-off incidents and dismissed as aberrations

Congress, in a political resolution adopted at its Plenary Session in 2018, had said that there were apprehensions among political parties and the people over the misuse of EVMs to manipulate the outcome of an election contrary to the popular verdict. Image: Priyanka Gandhi, Credit: PTI File Photo

Congress on Friday questioned the impartiality of the Election Commission after an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) was found in a car of a BJP MLA from Assam after the votes were cast in the second phase of elections in the state.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called for “serious re-evaluation” of the use of EVMs for conducting elections by all national parties and sought a clarification from the Commission.

“Dear EC, what is the matter? Can you give an explanation to the nation on this? Or should we say goodbye to impartiality of the EC,” Priyanka said after the Commission claimed the polling officers had traveled in a private car after their official vehicle developed a snag while returning from the polling station in Ratabari assembly seat.

“The EC needs to start acting decisively on these complaints and a serious re-evaluation of the use of EVMs needs to be carried out by all national parties," Priyanka said.

“EC's car has broken down, the BJP's intentions are bad and the condition of democracy has worsened,” former Congress President Rahul Gandhi said.

A delegation of Congress leaders also approached the Election Commission on Friday evening.

“In respect of the EVMs found in the car of a BJP candidate in Assam, we told the Commission that it was a complete violation of the guidelines specified by the EC itself,” senior Congress leader Ashwani Kumar said.

In a memorandum to the Commission, the Congress demanded appointment of special observers in all constituencies for protection of EVMs during the polls; provision of data to all candidates on an audit of EVMs as per serial number and other data including the reserved EVMs.

“If the ECI doesn't wake up even now and remains mute or complicit, it is fatal for democracy,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari demanded a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee into the EVM controversy.

"The issue is not of repoll in a particular booth. It is how did an EVM crawl into the car of a BJP candidate? Who is in bed with whom here & for how long. Requires a Joint Parliamentary Committee Investigation ASAP,” Tewari said.