Why Only EVMs in India?

In recent times, opposition parties in India have raised concerns about the victories of the BJP alliance, questioning the credibility of the electoral process. For instance, in Haryana, the Congress was expected to come to power, but it didn't happen. A similar situation occurred in Maharashtra, leading the opposition to doubt whether governments truly represent the people's mandate.

Even in Andhra Pradesh, former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has repeatedly expressed concerns about the reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). This skepticism has now been echoed by senior Maharashtra leader Sharad Pawar, who recently raised the same question.

At a program held in Markadwadi village of Solapur district, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar criticized the BJP-led alliance, stating that there is a lack of trust among the people regarding their electoral victories. He suggested that the perception that the BJP manipulated EVMs to win elections persists among the public. Despite these doubts, he noted that people still participated in the voting process.

Pawar highlighted that developed countries like the United States and the United Kingdom still rely on ballot papers for elections. He questioned why India exclusively uses EVMs. This issue has become a topic of discussion, especially after members of the INDIA alliance initially refused to take oaths on Saturday, citing concerns over EVM manipulation, but eventually did so on Sunday.

This debate over EVMs and their integrity has once again brought India's electoral system under scrutiny.