The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): In the lead-up to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, M Mallikarjun Kharge, the President of Congress, has voiced a strong demand for the comprehensive counting of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) during the vote tallying process. His statement responds to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks highlighting public calls for reverting to ballot paper voting instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Kharge emphasized, “Our consistent stance has been in favor of a hundred percent VVPAT count. Presently, only a fraction of VVPAT slips are scrutinized. Our plea is for the verification of all VVPAT slips, a measure that promises straightforwardness without entailing significant expense.” VVPATs serve as a supplementary mechanism to EVMs, allowing voters to confirm their selections are accurately recorded by printing a slip that briefly displays the vote cast.
Simultaneously, in Thiruvananthapuram, M V Govindan, Kerala’s State Secretary for the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M), has labeled the electoral bond scheme as the catalyst for the largest instance of political corruption in India’s history. With Santiago Martin’s firm at the forefront of donations, currently under multiple investigations, Govindan highlighted the BJP’s substantial accumulation of funds through electoral bonds, with the party reportedly receiving Rs 6060.51 crore, over half of the total bonds issued, as per State Bank of India’s data. He accused the central government, led by the BJP, of fostering corruption nationwide, utilizing the collected funds for unethical political maneuvers including MLA purchases and government destabilizations. Govindan stressed the Left parties’ principled stance against the electoral bond scheme, noting their decision not to partake in what they deem an unconstitutional arrangement. This was substantiated by their legal challenge against the scheme, asserting it as a threat to democratic integrity and a conduit for heightened political corruption.
As the nation gears up for the Lok Sabha elections, these divergent criticisms from Congress and CPI(M) underscore the contentious issues surrounding India’s electoral financing mechanisms and voting integrity. Both parties call for increased transparency and accountability in political donations and electoral processes, amidst ongoing debates on electoral reforms.