Akhilesh coins EVM slogan for Lok Sabha poll

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has coined a new slogan — ‘EVM Hatao Ballot Paper Wapas Lo’ — in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, raising questions over the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines.

Uttar Pradesh’s former chief minister said in the era of technological advancements, when frauds and scams are at their peak, the fair functioning of EVMs cannot be guaranteed.

“The country’s democracy is weakening due to doubts in the public mind regarding the functioning of EVMs. Elections through ballot paper are necessary to restore faith in democracy. The news of frauds and scams through technology has become common, then how can EVMs be out of the circle of suspicion?” he said in a post on microblogging website X.

Yadav said there was a need to hold a referendum regarding EVMs in the country. “In a democracy, people not only have the right to choose the government, they also have the right to choose the method and means of choosing. On this basis, developed countries of the world have again started conducting elections through ballot papers instead of EVMs. Ballot paper is a strong proof of the authenticity of the election,” his post further read.

The Samajwadi Party has also put up hoardings and banners in the city, demanding the replacement of EVMs. The BJP, however, called it a “cheap publicity stunt”.

The EVM controversy first erupted after BJP registered a thumping win in the recent state assembly elections. This was followed by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut questioning the reliability of the electronic voting machines.

Sharing a screenshot of a newspaper article on X in which BJP, in 2009, had blamed the EVMs for their loss during an election, Singh captioned the post saying: “Any Machine with a Chip can be hacked. I have opposed voting by EVM since 2003. Can we allow our Indian Democracy to be controlled by Professional Hackers! This is the Fundamental Question which all Political Parties have to address to. Hon ECI and Hon Supreme Court, would you please defend our Indian Democracy?”

Raut had challenged BJP to hold elections with ballot papers to see the actual outcome.

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, while addressing a national meeting with party workers on December 10, had also questioned EVMs.

However, BJP rubbished the allegations, calling it a desperate attempt at saving face. Narendra Kumar Kashyap, state minister (independent), backward welfare and disability empowerment, said: “It seems that the opposition parties have already predicted their fate in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and hence are giving such excuses. It’s a cheap publicity stunt which is common when any party loses the elections.”