Aap Ki Adalat: Election strategist Prashant Kishor has ruled out the possibility of manipulation in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the polls while also suggesting the Election Commission of India to digitally upload Forms 19 and 20 from each polling booth on its website to put an end to the controversy around the machine “to some extent”. The remarks came as the Opposition, over the years, has raised apprehensions about the manipulation of the EVMs and suggested going back to the postal ballot system of voting.
Replying to questions in Rajat Sharma's iconic show 'Aap Ki Adalat', Kishor said, “I normally do not comment on matters in which I do not have expertise. Even if we leave out technical matters, operationally on a scale of such a huge manpower involved in 10 lakh EVMs, and that too, in states where there are non-BJP governments, there is little possibility of the word not spreading out if EVMs are manipulated”.
Prashant Kishor cites surveys
Citing the surveys projecting a clear edge to the NDA in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Kishor said that the opposite case has happened instead that most of the results that were different from the surveys went against the BJP.
“There have been no cases where the surveys show 40 pc votes going to Congress and the results show 20 per cent. Even normal scientific surveys whether right or wrong, do not say that Congress or INDIA alliance has a big lead. I am talking about all surveys put together and you take out the mean average. Rather, in the last ten years, most of the results that were different from the surveys, went against the BJP,” he said.
“So, I don't think this (manipulation) is possible. And even if you accept that it happened, what is the alternative? You (opposition) are unable to mobilise a movement against EVMs. Only making statements in the media won't do,” Kishor stressed.
Kishor writes to ECI
The poll strategist-turned political activist said that he has reached out to the Election Commission urging to upload Form 19 and 20 on the website in a bid to bring an end to the controversy surrounding the EVMs.
“I have written to the Election Commission to upload Form 19 which is signed by agents of all candidates after polling is over in a booth and before the EVMs are sealed, and also Form 20, which is uploaded by EC after counting. For some strange reason, Form 19 is no longer being uploaded. If EC uploads both Form 19 and 20, this controversy will end to some extent,” he said.
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