EC's refusal to meet Oppn parties about EVM, VVPAT is 'matter of grave concern': Jairam Ramesh

'Your point blank refusal to even engage with political participants on EVMs and VVPATs is a matter of grave concern for all political parties and not just those who belong to the I.N.D.I.A alliance,' Ramesh said, addressing the Election Commission.

New Delhi: With the Election Commission not entertaining I.N.D.I.A parties’ request for a meeting on EVM and VVPAT, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has shot off a fresh letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, saying the “point blank refusal” to engage with parties is a “matter of grave concern” not just the Opposition bloc but all.

Last week, the EC had responded to Ramesh’s letter seeking a meeting saying it has “full faith in the use of the EVMs in the elections” while making it clear that the updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) answer “adequately and comprehensively” all reasonable and legitimate aspects on the use of the EVMs.

Seeking a meeting with the EC of a “small delegation of I.N.D.I.A parties” to “listen to what it has to say on the issue of VVPATs”, Ramesh said the poll body’s response has “yet again failed” to provide a “substantive response” to their queries and genuine concerns on EVMs.

He said the request has been made by a political bloc, which has given Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers and a large number of distinguished leaders and commanded over 60% of votes in the 2019 elections. “Yet the Commission continues to deny these parties any opportunity to meet with it. This is most unfortunate and to put it very mildly, unprecedented,” he said.

Since August last year, the I.N.D.I.A parties had been requesting for a meeting with the EC on EVMs but the EC was “repeatedly directing” the bloc to “generic” EC FAQs, with Ramesh insisting that their concerns remain “unaddressed”.

Instead of “offering clarification”, he said, the EC has labelled their queries as based on “inadequate or incorrect” appreciation of the FAQs and EVM resource material.

“This illustrates and underscores exactly why we have been asking the Commission for an audience, to discuss these unresolved and legitimate queries. Your point blank refusal to even engage with political participants on EVMs and VVPATs is a matter of grave concern for all political parties and not just those who belong to the I.N.D.I.A alliance,” he said.

Ramesh also sought to find fault with the EC “taking refuge” behind the judicial orders and reference to PILs being dismissed with costs and said that their queries have no bearing on it.

He said the pendency of any judicial proceedings pertaining to VVPAT does not bar the EC from discussing or hearing suggestions of the bloc. “In fact, there is no judicial order which restrains this Commission from meeting the I.N.D.I.A parties’ leaders on the issue of EVMs or VVPATs,” he said.