Mayawati, Kejriwal Allege EVM Tampering in Assembly Elections

After AAP's crushing defeat in Goa and Punjab, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday alleged rigging of the assembly polls.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, he said, “Many said that there is anger against Akalis and the AAP is sweeping polls, still AAP got 25 percent votes and SAD got 31 percent, how is it possible?”

He also said that it was too late to void the decision in Goa and Punjab, but wanted the EC to ensure that it does not happen in the future.

On Tuesday, Kejriwal had urged the Election Commission to replace electronic voting machines (EVMs) with ballot papers for the Delhi civic polls. He requested this citing the fact that many countries had done away with the EVM system.

Most of the exit polls before the results hinted at a hung assembly with AAP and Congress in a neck-and-neck competition. But Congress managed to get 77 seats while AAP got 20.

Citing an example, Kejriwal said, “In Shri Govindpur we got one vote... there are five volunteers who swear they voted for us... There is something seriously wrong.”

He alleged that at least 20-25 percent votes meant for AAP were transfered to the BJP-SAD alliance as and urged the EC to restore people's faith in the EVM.

Reiterating the Supreme Court's decision on EVM, he said, “They (EC) say EVMs are tamper-proof. But our Supreme Court had said in the past that it is possible to tamper with EVMs. I’m not saying this, the Supreme Court said this.”

A Murder of Democracy: Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday said that her party will move the court against the EVM fraud and would launch a country-wide agitation.

“BJP's victory in UP smacks of dishonesty and fraud. It is a murder of democracy,” she said.