Spare EVMs for poll losses, reflect on political reasons

The default response these days of a section of the Opposition, especially the Congress party, when it fails to win an election is to question the electronic voting machine (EVM). It has been no different after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) lost the Maharashtra elections. Just as it did when the Haryana results did not match its expectations, the Congress has gone on the offensive against EVMs after the Maharashtra verdict. This time, it has received the support of MVA ally, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) in its demand to revive paper ballots. On Tuesday, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, at a function to mark 75 years of the Constitution, hinted at the party launching a campaign against EVMs.

Against this backdrop, the Supreme Court’s observations on EVMs while disposing of a plea that raised doubts about the sanctity of the electoral process and the voting machines Tuesday are pertinent. The judges pointed out that the process and EVMs are questioned by a party only when it loses. In April this year, the Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to the use of EVMs in elections and described the demand as “unsound”. It had then — and rightly so — viewed the introduction of EVMs as an electoral reform that improved the sanctity of the process by ending malpractices such as booth capturing, a common feature of Indian elections at one point. The Court had also expressed satisfaction with the Election Commission of India’s submissions regarding the tamper-proof features of the machines.

The bafflement of political parties when the verdict goes against them is understandable. Voters seem to exercise their franchise with great sophistication and diligence: For instance, we have repeatedly seen the electorate in many states voting in different parties to the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assembly even when elections are held simultaneously. It may well be time for the Congress to abandon its tired rhetoric on EVM manipulation and reflect on the possible political reasons that may be causing its electoral defeats.