Tag: EVMs

  • Big query mark over Election Commission’s equity in previous few years: Prashant Bhushan

    By PTI

    NAGPUR: Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Sunday mentioned the equity of the Election Commission of India (ECI) has come underneath cloud in the previous few years.

    He accused the ECI of protecting mum when massive leaders from the ruling celebration violate the ballot code, whereas performing swiftly towards the opposition events in such instances, and likewise claimed that the schedule of elections is made protecting in thoughts the comfort of the federal government.

    Bhushan alleged that the independence of the judiciary is underneath menace and people talking towards the federal government face sedition and different critical expenses, and they don’t seem to be in a position to get bail for years.

    He was talking on the subject ‘Challenges earlier than Democracy ‘ throughout a programme organised right here by ‘Deshonnati’, a Marathi each day.

    “After T N Seshan became the chief election commissioner, for many years we could see that the Election Commission was very fair and impartial. But in the last six to seven years, a big question mark has arisen on its fairness,” he mentioned.

    The Election Commission takes motion if the Model code of conduct is violated by the opposition events. But it retains quiet when massive leaders from the ruling celebration violate it. We have been witnessing this for a really very long time, he alleged.

    The election dates are ready as per the comfort of the federal government, he mentioned.

    “Earlier, even the government did not know what dates will be decided by the EC for elections. But now, it is being witnessed that representatives of the ruling party even before the formal announcement tell what the polling dates are and the same dates are later announced by the EC,” he mentioned.

    “The reason for the EC not being fair anymore. The problem with this has always been the selection in the poll watchdog is done by the government and there is no independent selection committee. And now, what the government is doing is that it is selecting people mostly from Gujarat and they are those who will do what the government will ask them to do. This also is an issue before democracy,” he mentioned.

    Bhushan additionally alleged that there was an absence of independence in all regulatory establishments, and termed it as one of many greatest issues. He mentioned the judiciary was fashioned to guard the basic rights of individuals and to maintain the legislature and the chief inside limits.

    “But now we are seeing that this is not happening. Those speaking against the government are facing sedition and sometimes false cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. They are not able to get bail for years and this is being done blatantly. Our judiciary is not able to act against it. Hence, the independence of the judiciary is also under threat,” he mentioned.

    “Media is also being controlled by the government. The police agencies are also being used for political use. The selection of some agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Income Tax department is completely in the hands of the government, which has put democracy in real danger,” he alleged.

    On the digital voting machines (EVMs), he mentioned that though there was no important manipulation in EVMs at current, within the coming occasions it can’t be dominated out.

    “There is a possibility of manipulation and I feel EVMs are very dangerous. Paper ballots should return and they have returned in most of the countries,” he mentioned.

    In order to sort out these challenges, a lot of reforms will be introduced by introducing Initiatives and Referendum regulation, Pre-legislative Transparency and Consultation regulation, he mentioned, including that parliamentary committees needs to be revived.

    Since the opposition has turn into weak now, these reforms can’t be executed by it alone and therefore individuals want to boost their voices now. They can elevate voices towards unfair practices like which was executed for the Lokpal Bill.

    People can launch massive agitations on points like unemployment and privatisation of public sector models, which will even strengthen the opposition, he mentioned.

    Replying to a question by PTI on the sidelines of the programme about why the Supreme Court was not taking on the difficulty of electoral bonds on a precedence foundation, Bhushan mentioned the federal government was not within the situation and doubtless they had been stalling it.

    “However, with the new Chief Justice of India at the helm, the matter will be heard,” he mentioned.

    Bhushan has filed a PIL difficult legal guidelines allowing funding of political events by way of the electoral bond scheme.

    When requested whether or not the opposition events would be capable of put up a united struggle towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) within the subsequent elections, he mentioned he was undecided whether or not united opposition can be a good suggestion or not.

    “But, in any case, civil society needs to play a major role to any major political change is to be brought in the country,” he mentioned.

    NAGPUR: Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Sunday mentioned the equity of the Election Commission of India (ECI) has come underneath cloud in the previous few years.

    He accused the ECI of protecting mum when massive leaders from the ruling celebration violate the ballot code, whereas performing swiftly towards the opposition events in such instances, and likewise claimed that the schedule of elections is made protecting in thoughts the comfort of the federal government.

    Bhushan alleged that the independence of the judiciary is underneath menace and people talking towards the federal government face sedition and different critical expenses, and they don’t seem to be in a position to get bail for years.

    He was talking on the subject ‘Challenges earlier than Democracy ‘ throughout a programme organised right here by ‘Deshonnati’, a Marathi each day.

    “After T N Seshan became the chief election commissioner, for many years we could see that the Election Commission was very fair and impartial. But in the last six to seven years, a big question mark has arisen on its fairness,” he mentioned.

    The Election Commission takes motion if the Model code of conduct is violated by the opposition events. But it retains quiet when massive leaders from the ruling celebration violate it. We have been witnessing this for a really very long time, he alleged.

    The election dates are ready as per the comfort of the federal government, he mentioned.

    “Earlier, even the government did not know what dates will be decided by the EC for elections. But now, it is being witnessed that representatives of the ruling party even before the formal announcement tell what the polling dates are and the same dates are later announced by the EC,” he mentioned.

    “The reason for the EC not being fair anymore. The problem with this has always been the selection in the poll watchdog is done by the government and there is no independent selection committee. And now, what the government is doing is that it is selecting people mostly from Gujarat and they are those who will do what the government will ask them to do. This also is an issue before democracy,” he mentioned.

    Bhushan additionally alleged that there was an absence of independence in all regulatory establishments, and termed it as one of many greatest issues. He mentioned the judiciary was fashioned to guard the basic rights of individuals and to maintain the legislature and the chief inside limits.

    “But now we are seeing that this is not happening. Those speaking against the government are facing sedition and sometimes false cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. They are not able to get bail for years and this is being done blatantly. Our judiciary is not able to act against it. Hence, the independence of the judiciary is also under threat,” he mentioned.

    “Media is also being controlled by the government. The police agencies are also being used for political use. The selection of some agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Income Tax department is completely in the hands of the government, which has put democracy in real danger,” he alleged.

    On the digital voting machines (EVMs), he mentioned that though there was no important manipulation in EVMs at current, within the coming occasions it can’t be dominated out.

    “There is a possibility of manipulation and I feel EVMs are very dangerous. Paper ballots should return and they have returned in most of the countries,” he mentioned.

    In order to sort out these challenges, a lot of reforms will be introduced by introducing Initiatives and Referendum regulation, Pre-legislative Transparency and Consultation regulation, he mentioned, including that parliamentary committees needs to be revived.

    Since the opposition has turn into weak now, these reforms can’t be executed by it alone and therefore individuals want to boost their voices now. They can elevate voices towards unfair practices like which was executed for the Lokpal Bill.

    People can launch massive agitations on points like unemployment and privatisation of public sector models, which will even strengthen the opposition, he mentioned.

    Replying to a question by PTI on the sidelines of the programme about why the Supreme Court was not taking on the difficulty of electoral bonds on a precedence foundation, Bhushan mentioned the federal government was not within the situation and doubtless they had been stalling it.

    “However, with the new Chief Justice of India at the helm, the matter will be heard,” he mentioned.

    Bhushan has filed a PIL difficult legal guidelines allowing funding of political events by way of the electoral bond scheme.

    When requested whether or not the opposition events would be capable of put up a united struggle towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) within the subsequent elections, he mentioned he was undecided whether or not united opposition can be a good suggestion or not.

    “But, in any case, civil society needs to play a major role to any major political change is to be brought in the country,” he mentioned.

  • Assembly polls: Stage set for counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Counting of votes polled within the essential Uttar Pradesh elections will happen on Thursday, the end result of which can resolve whether or not the BJP returns to energy for the second consecutive time period.

    “Counting in all the 75 districts of the state will begin at 8 am. The postal ballots will be counted first, and then the votes polled in the EVMs will be counted,” a senior election official informed PTI.

    Almost all of the exit polls have predicted that the BJP will return to energy. They have forecast a rise in Samajwadi Party’s tally however not sufficient to kind the federal government.

    The exit polls have forecast double-digit numbers for the BSP and single-digit depend for the Congress.

    Both the SP and BSP have dismissed the exit polls, claiming that they might win the ballot comfortably and kind their authorities within the state, which has a 403-member meeting.

    If the BJP involves energy, it will be a file for a celebration getting re-elected in UP for a second time period in over three many years.

    In 2017, BJP had received 312 seats by itself whereas NDA’s determine was 325. The SP had received 47, BSP 19 and the Congress had received seven seats, two lower than Apna Dal (S) at 9.

    The BJP went within the polls this time with Apna Dal (Sonelal) and NISHAD social gathering whereas Akhilesh Yadav had shaped a rainbow coalition with RLD and a string of regional events, together with Om Prakash Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP).

    Considering its bearing on the 2024 Parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath aggressively campaigned throughout the state to drum up assist for the saffron social gathering.

    On Tuesday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling BJP of attempting to “steal” votes and claimed a truck carrying EVMs was “intercepted” in Varanasi, however the Election Commission clarified that the machines had been for coaching officers on counting obligation and had not been utilized in elections.

    In an announcement issued late on Tuesday evening, the workplace of the Chief Electoral Officer of UP mentioned, “Rumours were spread by people of some political party by stopping the vehicle and alleging that these EVMs were used in elections.”

    According to the report despatched by the District Election Officer (of Varanasi), it was discovered through the investigation that these EVMs had been marked for coaching. “Training has been organised for March 9 (Wednesday),” it had mentioned.

    The voting for the politically-important state was carried out in seven rounds beginning February 10.

    For the opposition, Akhilesh addressed 131 rallies and roadshows to tackle the pantheon of leaders from the ruling camp.

    Mayawati, whose absence on the bottom had initially triggered speculations that BSP was out of the facility race, additionally hit the streets in favour of her social gathering nominees.

    Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who led the social gathering from the entrance in UP, attended 209 rallies and roadshows, most amongst prime leaders of assorted events, in a bid to regain misplaced floor for her social gathering within the Hindi heartland.

    Sonia Gandhi nearly addressed voters in her Rae Bereli constituency whereas Rahul Gandhi addressed two rallies – one in Amethi and one other in Varanasi.

    Elaborating about preparations on March 10, the election official mentioned, “Covid protocols, including the use of hand gloves, sanitisers, masks, thermal scanners and adhering to social distancing norms, will be followed at the counting centres throughout the state.”

    “The votes cast through postal ballots, including those by people with disabilities and senior citizens above 80 years, will be counted manually, while the votes of the service voters — ETPBS (Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System) will be done online,” he mentioned.

    Apart from this, VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) slips of 5 machines shall be counted in each meeting constituency.

    The Supreme Court had on April 8, 2019 directed the Election Commission to extend random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs to 5 polling cubicles per meeting section, from one, through the then Lok Sabha polls, saying it would present larger satisfaction not simply to political events however to your complete voters.

    Video and static cameras have been put in in any respect the counting centres, the official mentioned, including media centres have additionally been arrange there.

    “Adequate AROs (Assistant Returning Officers) have been deployed in every assembly constituency for interruption-free counting,” the senior official mentioned.

    Elaborating on the safety preparations, the official mentioned a three-layer safety set-up has been made comprising of central police forces, PAC (Provincial Armed Constabulary) and the state police.

    A complete of 250 firms of CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces) have been offered to all of the districts and commissionerates on March 10, the police mentioned.

    According to officers, a CAPF firm normally has round 70-80 personnel. Of the 250, 36 firms have been earmarked for EVM safety and 214 for sustaining legislation and order. Besides the CAPFs, 61 firms of PAC have additionally been offered to all districts, they mentioned.

    Officials mentioned 625 gazetted officers of UP Police; 1,807 inspectors; 9,598 sub-inspectors, 11,627 head constables and 48,649 constables have additionally been placed on obligation.

    The Model Code of Conduct got here into pressure on January 8 after the announcement of polls in Uttar Pradesh by the Election Commission.