JOIN USJD(S) National president H D Deve Gowda on Saturday said that he was not able to understand why Election Commission was hell-bent on using electronic voting machines (EVMs) despite questions being raised about the accuracy and the reliability of the machines.
Addressing the media persons here, Gowda said, "Ballot papers are being used in the elections in many countries. A few countries stopped using EVM following the complaints about its credibility. Despite complaints about the functioning of the EVMs, the Election Commission is still adamant about using them."
The then Chief Election Commissioner T N Seshan introduced EVMs as part of electoral reforms in the early 1990s. EVMs used in Gujarat Assembly polls have been brought to the state.
To a query on the quantum of compensation to be paid to the family members of the CRPF jawan, from Haraduru in Arkalgud taluk, who was martyred in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh, Gowda said, The kin of martyred CRPF jawan Chandra will get a compensation of Rs 90 lakh from various sources. If the quantum of compensation gets reduced or delayed for some reason, I will talk to the competent authority. The party will also provide some assistance to the family. I will soon visit the house of the martyred jawan," he said.
'24-hour politician'
Post elections, I will spend most of my time in the constituency, meeting the people. I will go mad, if I am not meeting people, interacting with them. This is the reason why Ramakrishna Hegde used to call me '24-hour politician', he said.