Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 26 termed the Supreme Court judgement on electronic voting machines (EVMs) as a “tight slap” to Opposition parties, including the Congress. He demanded an apology from them for “committing the sin of creating distrust” over EVMs.
He was speaking at public rallies in Araria and Munger in Bihar on Friday when the Supreme Court’s order dismissing petitions asking that EVMs be discontinued in favour of paper ballots, and several other related matters, came through.
“When the Congress, the [Rashtriya Janata Dal] RJD and other INDI alliance parties were in power, the poor, backwards and Dalits used to be deprived of their votes through booth capture. With the introduction of EVMs, they are no longer able to play their old game. Hence, they committed the sin of creating distrust against EVMs,” the Prime Minister alleged in Araria.
“But today, the highest court of the land has delivered a verdict which comes as a tight slap to these parties,” he said.
‘Opposition defamed ECI’
Union Law Mminister Arjun Ram Meghwal welcomed the judgment, saying that the top court’s orders had “exposed” the desire of Opposition parties, including the Congress, to “defame” the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“The Supreme Court in its decision said that the EVM system is all right, it’s credible and there cannot be any tampering with it. The Supreme Court has given a fabulous decision. We welcome this decision on behalf of the BJP,” Mr. Meghwal said, addressing a press conference at the BJP’s national headquarters in New Delhi.
“The decision has exposed the Congress and other constituents of the Opposition INDIA bloc,” he said, claiming that Opposition parties had taken every opportunity to “defame” the Election Commission of India by raising questions on the credibility of EVMs.
