Solapur (Maharashtra), Dec 8: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar expressed concerns on Sunday regarding the recently concluded Maharashtra assembly elections, claiming that many people doubt the election process and feel uncertain about the results.
Speaking at an "anti-EVM" event in Markadwadi village, Solapur district, Pawar stated, "Elections are part of democracy, with some winning and some losing. However, in the recent Maharashtra elections, there are doubts about the process, and voters are not confident. We use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for elections. Voters head to polling stations with confidence, but some results have raised suspicions among the public."
Pawar questioned why paper ballots were not used, as in many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and several European nations. "Countries like the U.S., the U.K., and others in Europe conduct elections using ballots, not EVMs. If the world is using paper ballots, why can't we?" he asked.
He further announced that the NCP-SCP would submit a resolution to the Election Commission and Maharashtra's Chief Minister, urging the use of paper ballots instead of EVMs for future elections.
"I was informed that people here were booked for advocating the use of paper ballots because they lacked confidence in the results. This is troubling. I assure you that any complaints shared with me will be forwarded to the Election Commission and the Chief Minister, and we will propose a resolution demanding elections be conducted using paper ballots," Pawar said.
