ECI failed to provide substantive response to 'genuine concerns' over EVMs: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh writes to Election Commission of India over its response to his concerns on EVMs and VVPATs, requests meeting with INDIA parties.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has said the Election Commission of India (ECI) has yet again failed to provide a "substantive response" to INDIA parties' genuine concerns over EVMs and asserted that instead, the poll watchdog has been repeatedly directing them to "generic FAQS" as the answer book for all queries.

Mr. Ramesh has written to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar over the Election Commission's response to his earlier letter in which the poll watchdog had dismissed the Congress leader's concerns on VVPATs.

"I had made an express request for an appointment for the INDIA parties' leaders with the Hon'ble Commission. I had even specified the agenda for the appointment discussion and suggestions on the usage of VVPATs for the upcoming elections," the Congress leader said in his letter dated January 7.

"The Election Commission's response, while completely brushing aside our request for an appointment, has yet again failed to provide a substantive response to our queries and genuine concerns over EVMs. Instead, the Commission has been repeatedly directing us to generic ECI FAQs as the answer book for all queries in respect of EVMs and VVPATS," Mr. Ramesh said.

Yet, when the Commission was informed that concerns remain unaddressed by the FAQs, the panel, instead of offering clarification, labelled the queries as based on an "inadequate or incorrect" appreciation of FAQs and EVM resource material, he said.

"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 or VVPATs, is a matter of grave concern for all political parties and not just those who belong to the INDIA alliance," Mr. Ramesh said.

He said that it is also surprising to note that the Commission has been taking refuge behind judicial orders while also reminding us that Public Interest Litigations filed on the issue of EVMs and VVPATs have been dismissed with monetary costs.