At a time when there is a debate on whether electronic voting machines (EVMs) can be tampered with, the BJP said on Sunday that it had full faith in the Election Commission.
In the wake of complaints from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party on the functioning of EVMs, BJP leader Bhupendra Yadav said these machines were kept in the custody of district magistrates in States.
“We lost in a State like Punjab which was ruled by the BJP-Akali Dal alliance, while the Samajwadi Party lost in Uttar Pradesh. In both cases, EVMs were with the district magistrate. Where is the question of EVMs in these results? We have full faith in the Election Commission,” Mr. Yadav said addressing journalists.
His statement comes after complaints that a Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) deployed for an Assembly bypoll in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, was dispensing slips only of the BJP symbol during a demonstration exercise.
After the Uttar Pradesh polls too, the BSP had raised questions on EVMs after its dismal loss in the polls.
Virbhadra issue
Meanwhile, the BJP demanded the resignation of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh after the CBI charge-sheeted him in a disproportionate assets case.
Mr. Yadav said the CBI had found that Mr. Singh had shown profits of more than ₹6 crore in his accounts from his apple orchards during the years 2008-09 and 2010-11.
“However, the profits in the preceding and subsequent years were zero. This establishes the fact that he had shown the fictitious earning from his apple orchards in his accounts to hide his unaccountable income,” the BJP leader claimed.
Himachal Pradesh goes to polls later this year.
