Agar Malwa: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who is contesting from Rajgarh Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday said he was making efforts to get 400 people to file nominations so that polls will be held through ballot paper.
He said this after asking people during a corner meeting in Kachnariya village in Susner if they wanted elections to be held through EVMs or ballot papers.
Responding to the crowd shouting ballot paper, Singh said, "There is only one way for this (election through ballot paper). If 400 candidates fill nomination forms. I am preparing for this. Candidates in the general category will have to submit security deposit of Rs 25,000, while those in reserved categories will have to give deposit of Rs 12,500."
This way, Rajgarh will see elections through ballot papers, Singh said, adding 'let us see what happens'.
Each EVM can have a maximum of 384 candidates, including NOTA, per constituency. A total of 16 candidates, including NOTA, can appear on one ballot unit and 24 such units can be connected simultaneously to the control unit.
Singh was speaking during the first day of his eight-day 'Vayda Nibhao Yatra' foot march.
Singh has routinely opposed the use of EVMs for polls and has attributed its presence for the victories of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Incidentally, in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, a BJP leader from Durg had written to the Election Commission seeking action against former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is the Congress candidate from Rajnandgaon, for speaking about such a move to overwhelm EVMs.
In the letter, the BJP leader accused Baghel of telling party workers that "if more than 384 candidates contest from one seat then the EC will be forced to conduct polls through ballot papers."
(Published 31 March 2024, 13:00 IST)
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