[In the wake of the Bhind scandal, the use of VVPATs, with proper reporting and monitoring systems, must be made mandatory for all coming polls.
But going back to old style ballot boxes would be just self-defeating. (See, e.g.: <http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Swaminomics/without-evms-maya-may-have-got-fewer-votes/>.)] I/II. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/madhya-pradesh-government-shunts-out-bhind-dm-sp-after-evm-row/articleshow/57968571.cms Madhya Pradesh government shunts out Bhind DM, SP after EVM row TNN | Apr 2, 2017, 04.15 AM IST HIGHLIGHTS Madhya Pradesh government removed the district collector and the SP and initiated action against 19 others in EVM row Kejriwal met chief election commissioner earlier in the day and demanded that paper ballot enabled EVMs be used for elections BHOPAL/NEW DELHI: A day after a controversial video of a dummy test of an electronic voting machine (EVM) in Bhind ahead of a byelection there went viral on social media, the Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday removed the district collector and the SP and initiated action against 19 others. The Madhya Pradesh government's action came even as Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal met chief election commissioner Naseem Zaidi earlier in the day and demanded that paper ballot enabled EVMs be used for elections henceforth. Kejriwal also raised questions over the upcoming MCD polls in which over 12,000 EVMs will be used. The Bhind video reportedly shows the voter verifiable paper audit trail leading to slips bearing only the ruling BJP's lotus symbol when different buttons on the EVM are pressed. The video led to EC seeking report from 21 officials in the Bhind district, where byelection in the Ater seat is scheduled on April 9. Congress and AAP staged protests demanding that chief electoral officer (CEO) of Madhya Pradesh Shalina Singh be removed. "We have sought report from the chief secretary regarding the officials," Election Commissioner OP Rawat told TOI. Kejriwal demanded that every single EVM must be checked henceforth. Top Comment So this is what Congress, RJD and AAP did to win landslide elections earlier! Excellent we shall investigate every one of these useless parties from the day of their first win. elephantisland "If some EVMs can be faulty, many others may also be tampered with. These reports are shocking and raise doubts about the essence of democracy in this country. This means that if this continues, no matter who people vote for, the lotus will bloom out of the muck of EVMs," he said, adding that no checking was done to find the fault in EVMs in Assam and MP. "Who is changing the software and how is not being checked," he said. The video has set off a debate over EVMs. After the BSP's rout in UP assembly polls, party chief Mayawati had demanded fresh polls in the state alleging that EVMs were tampered with in the state. Kejriwal had also raised doubts over EVMs after AAP failed to win the Punjab polls. Raising questions about the machines, he said it could be that some machines are faulty. "But how is it that all faulty machines only register votes in favour of BJP?" RJD chief Lalu Prasad too demanded a probe. II. http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=EC-deploys-teams-to-ensure-correct-functioning-of-02042017015037 Apr 02 2017 : The Times of India (Delhi) EC deploys teams to ensure correct functioning of EVMs New Delhi: TIMES NEWS NEWORK Takes Step After Cong Cries Foul Over Tampering The Election Commission has decided to depute two teams of officers along with technical experts to ensure correct functioning of EVMs and voter verified paper audit trail being deployed in two assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh where bypolls are due. The EC announced its decision after a Congress delegation met it and pointed to reports of EVM tampering in Madhya Pradesh. The measures announced seem an effort to end doubts raised by Congress and AAP over the reliability of EVMs. The EC had previously issued an note explaining the security measures that make EVMs more reliable than other methods. The steps have been taken with respect to Ater and Bandhavgarh (ST) assembly constituencies in MP. The EC said in a note that Congress delegation demanded the commission ensure free and fair election and absolute neutrality of officers. “The commission has decided to depute a team of high level officers led by Bhanwar Lal, CEO Andhra Pradesh (Chief secretary level officer), to supervise the byeelections in MP. The team will also include R K Srivastava, senior principal secretary and Varinder Kumar, principal secretary. These teams of senior officers will supervise implementation of all administrative and security instructions of the ECI for the conduct of elections,“ the EC said. “The integrity of EVMs and VVPATs to be used in the poll will be demonstrated to the complete satisfaction of all stakeholders by the team. These teams will remain in the Assembly Constituency till the counting is over,“ the EC said. The commission is committed to conduct entire electoral process transparently , fairly and to the complete satisfaction of stakeholders including esteemed voters.EC will always hear and redress genuine and credible suggestions from stakeholders, the commission said. `Use ballot papers from next polls' Congress over raised fresh questions on Saturday the credibility of electronic voting machines, asking the EC to restore trust in EVMs or revert to the system of ballot papers, citing reports about alleged tampering of machines in Madhya Pradesh. A delegation of Congress members petitioned the EC, saying reports from Bhind -where machines were allegedly found to be registering a vote for BJP even when pressed in favour of another party --are “shocking“. “The next elections, be it in Gujarat or elsewhere, should be held with ballot papers and the use of EVMs be stopped,“ party neta Digvijaya Singh said. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
