New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu Saturday met chief election commissioner Sunil Arora at the Election Commission of India (EC) headquarters in the national capital to complain about the malfunctioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the his state during the first phase of elections on 11 April.
Naidu said about 30 to 40 per cent of the EVMs didn’t function at the time of voting. Andhra Pradesh voted simultaneously for all 25 Lok Sabha and 175 assembly seats in the state Thursday.
The polls were marred by reports malfunctioning EVMs at various places, prompting Naidu to lash out at the election commission.
On Saturday, Naidu alleged that the EC works at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Andhra CM demanded India’s return to elections with paper ballot as EVMs are “too confusing” and “don’t even function properly”. He also sought re-polling in nearly 150 places due to EVM malfunction.
However, after his meeting with EC officials, the Andhra CM expressed dissatisfaction with the poll watchdog’s reply and said he will register a larger protest.
The EC, however, has not confirmed the reports about EVM malfunction during the first phase of Lok Sabha elections.
Also read: Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu protests outside poll panel’s office saying it’s tyrannical
‘Paper ballot will make process easy’
Speaking to reporters outside the EC office, Naidu said, “There are technical problems with the EVM, it does not function properly and so many people do not know how to operate it.”
“It’s best for India to have elections with paper ballot. It will make the election process very easy. Why make a process like election complicated by bringing in EVMs,” said the Andhra CM.
He added that he wasn’t happy with the EC reply.
“We are not happy with the reply of the commission. Tomorrow we are going to have another press conference and will involve other national leaders also in the matter.”
“We want to make people aware about EVMs and make this a national issue,” he added.
In the letter Naidu submitted to the EC, he wrote the commission has “miserably failed to live upto the constitutional duty” in the state.
Also read: This is not an easy time to be the Election Commission of India. Here’s why
One has to bear this blare of chandrababu Naidu till 23rd May. Then, he possibly wanes into oblivion. He is a spent force. He has crossed all decency in his utterances and been a big nuisance and he is the main reason for the plight of the state of Andhra Pradesh.