(PTI)
The Election Commission on Wednesday ruled out the use of ballot papers in next month’s Maharashtra Assembly elections, terming them “history” and defended EVMs, saying these machines cannot be tampered with. Addressing reporters after reviewing poll preparedness in the state, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora also said the Assembly poll expenditure limit of candidates cannot be changed for now.
His comments come in the wake of parties like the Shiv Sena and the NCP demanding that ceiling be raised from the present Rs 28 lakh per candidate. More central armed forces would be deployed in Left wing extremism-affected areas of the state, he said. The Congress and NCP were among the key opposition parties which raised alarm about the use of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) in elections.
“Parties keep raising the issue (of EVMs). We have told them politely and firmly that ballot paper is history now. And I can tell all of you, all of us can tell you looking into your eyes, that EVM cannot be, I repeat, cannot be tampered with,” Arora said.
