4.5 crore VVPAT slips counted, no discrepancy found: CEC Rajiv Kumar
New Delhi (PTI): Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday underscored the integrity of India's electoral process, asserting that not a single discrepancy has been found in votes counted through electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.
Kumar was addressing a press conference to announce the schedule for the Delhi Assembly elections.
"Let me tell the nation today. After the Supreme Court mandated in 2019 that five VVPATs must be counted from each assembly constituency, over 67,000 VVPATs have been checked.
"This translates to more than 4.5 crore (VVPAT) slips being verified. And let me assure you that not even the difference of one vote has been found with the new machines since 2019," he said.
The CEC also pointed out that any minor errors, such as technical glitches in some of the older machines or mock poll data not being cleared, are handled with precision.
"There could be instances where a machine's data is set aside during the counting process. However, these instances are reviewed thoroughly and the slips are counted if they could potentially impact the victory margin," he explained.
Kumar highlighted that the guidelines for every aspect of the electoral process, from electoral rolls to machine handling, are rigorously followed and shared with political parties.
The CEC reiterated the transparency and robustness of the election mechanism, dismissing allegations of vote tampering.
"Our process is not only thorough but also transparent. Form 20, which contains the exact details of winners and losers, is handed over to all candidates," Kumar said.
The Election Commission has been subjected to scrutiny and demands for greater accountability, including the counting of all VVPAT slips, by opposition parties.
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ED raids in BBMP an outcome of squabbling in BJP, says Deputy CM Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday claimed that the ED raids in the 'Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike' was an outcome of infighting in the BJP.
The ED on Tuesday searched the offices of Engineer-in-Chief B S Prahlad and other engineers in the BBMP in connection with the borewells and Reverse Osmosis plants in the areas where Cauvery water connection has not been provided, sources in civic agency said.
The raids were based on a complaint by a BJP leader and former BBMP Councillor N R Ramesh to the Anti-Corruption Bureau. The ACB later referred the case to the ED.
"It's an internal fight in the BJP. A BJP leader had given a complaint against his own party MLAs because he was denied a ticket (to contest assembly election)," Shivakumar told reporters here.
He said he had instructed the BBMP officials about one and a half years ago to be prepared for the possible raids and provide whatever documents the ED officials would ask for.
"We will cooperate with them. There is nothing wrong in it. I don't know the details but officers yesterday told me about it," Shivakumar said.
The Deputy CM said when documents are provided under the Right to Information to everyone, the ED officials will also be given the same. He added that those committed wrong will be punished.
Regarding the dinner meeting hosted by the MLAs from SC/ST community being cancelled, he said he has no information about it.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that the dinner meeting of Congress leaders, ministers and lawmakers from SC/ST communities that was called on January 8, has been postponed following an instruction from a AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala.
The next date of the meeting will be informed later, Parameshwara said in a statement.
The meeting was scheduled within a week after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's dinner with select Dalit and ST Cabinet colleagues that had created buzz within the ruling Congress, amid speculation over a change of guard in the state after March this year.
According to party sources, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D K Shivakumar had met AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal in Delhi and discussed the developments.
