AAP hails HC’s move to seal EVMs used in South Delhi ward

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday welcomed a court’s decision to seal electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in a South Delhi ward for the recently-concluded civic polls, saying it is not right to have an “ostrich approach” when suspicions are being raised against EVMs.

Earlier on Monday, a Delhi court had directed the Delhi State Election Commission to keep the machines used in the south Delhi ward intact and sealed. The court was hearing a plea challenging the victory of a BJP candidate by two votes.

The court also sought response from the commission by May 19 on the plea filed by the AAP candidate Pinky Tyagi who had lost to her BJP rival Anita Tanwar. While Ms Tyagi bagged 8,413 votes, her rival Mr Tanwar received 8,415.

“We are happy that the court has taken cognisance of our demand,” party spokesperson Dilip Pandey said. Mr Pandey claimed that there were discrepancies in the documents that recorded votes of ward 70 in South MCD.

“The doubts raised by us over EVMs persist and one should not have an ostrich approach assuming all is fine with the voting machines,” Mr Pandey said. The AAP also welcomed Uttarkhand’s high court’s decision to admit six more petitions alleging tampering of EVMs in different constituencies as it sent notices to the state election commission and winners of these seats among others, in the recent Assembly polls.

The party leadership has alleged “rigging” of voting machines after its poor show in the Punjab Assembly election and recently held MCD polls.