<p>Mumbai: Countries like United States of America, United Kingdom and many European countries have discarded the EVMs and gave one back to the traditional ballot-papers so why India can't follow suit, asked NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar said as he visited Markadwadi, the ground zero of anti-EVM protests.</p><p>The Maha Vikas Aghadi-INDIA opposition bloc has taken upon the cause of Markadwadi, where people are demanding elections on ballot papers.</p><p>Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray too are expected to visit Markadwadi in the days to come. </p><p>Markadwadi is located in Malshiras tehsil of Solapur district.</p>.MVA need not fret over poll defeat; people not enthused by Maha Yuti victory: Sharad Pawar.<p>“America, England and many European countries are conducting elections on ballots, not on EVM...When the whole world is holding elections on the ballot, why not us,” said Pawar while addressing a public meeting.</p><p>Pawar was accompanied by NCP (SP)’s state unit President Jayant Patil and party’s Malshiras MLA Uttam Jankar. </p><p>“I will resign as MLA once the Election Commission announces by-election on ballot paper in his constituency,” said Jankar. </p><p>Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut, who has been elected from Vikhroli in Mumbai, too said that he is ready to resign. "I want to resign because the entire Maha Vikas Aghadi and the people of Maharashtra are upset with the outcome…I was expecting a margin of 50,000 plus votes,” said Raut, who is brother of Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut. </p><p>State Congress President Nana Patole, who is elected from Sakoli in Bhandara district, said he was ready to give up the membership provided by elections held through ballot-papers.</p><p>At the meeting, Pawar thanked the villagers for showing the right direction to the whole country. “You (villagers) were the ones who thought of conducting polls using ballot papers….We have collected some data about EVMs. People cast their votes, but in the end, the results were unexpected. You raised awareness about the issue, and the process needs to change,” said Pawar, a four-time Maharashtra Chief Minister and three-time union minister. </p><p>“The authorities stopped the ‘mock ballot paper’ voting, the police clamped prohibitory orders and prevented them from the democratic exercise…How can the police restrict the gathering of villagers in their village? How can they even file police complaints against you (villagers)? Collect all such complaints and give them to me. I will take this up with the Chief Minister, state chief electoral officer, the Prime Minister, and even the Election Commission of India,” he said.</p>
<p>Mumbai: Countries like United States of America, United Kingdom and many European countries have discarded the EVMs and gave one back to the traditional ballot-papers so why India can't follow suit, asked NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar said as he visited Markadwadi, the ground zero of anti-EVM protests.</p><p>The Maha Vikas Aghadi-INDIA opposition bloc has taken upon the cause of Markadwadi, where people are demanding elections on ballot papers.</p><p>Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray too are expected to visit Markadwadi in the days to come. </p><p>Markadwadi is located in Malshiras tehsil of Solapur district.</p>.MVA need not fret over poll defeat; people not enthused by Maha Yuti victory: Sharad Pawar.<p>“America, England and many European countries are conducting elections on ballots, not on EVM...When the whole world is holding elections on the ballot, why not us,” said Pawar while addressing a public meeting.</p><p>Pawar was accompanied by NCP (SP)’s state unit President Jayant Patil and party’s Malshiras MLA Uttam Jankar. </p><p>“I will resign as MLA once the Election Commission announces by-election on ballot paper in his constituency,” said Jankar. </p><p>Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut, who has been elected from Vikhroli in Mumbai, too said that he is ready to resign. "I want to resign because the entire Maha Vikas Aghadi and the people of Maharashtra are upset with the outcome…I was expecting a margin of 50,000 plus votes,” said Raut, who is brother of Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut. </p><p>State Congress President Nana Patole, who is elected from Sakoli in Bhandara district, said he was ready to give up the membership provided by elections held through ballot-papers.</p><p>At the meeting, Pawar thanked the villagers for showing the right direction to the whole country. “You (villagers) were the ones who thought of conducting polls using ballot papers….We have collected some data about EVMs. People cast their votes, but in the end, the results were unexpected. You raised awareness about the issue, and the process needs to change,” said Pawar, a four-time Maharashtra Chief Minister and three-time union minister. </p><p>“The authorities stopped the ‘mock ballot paper’ voting, the police clamped prohibitory orders and prevented them from the democratic exercise…How can the police restrict the gathering of villagers in their village? How can they even file police complaints against you (villagers)? Collect all such complaints and give them to me. I will take this up with the Chief Minister, state chief electoral officer, the Prime Minister, and even the Election Commission of India,” he said.</p>