EC must clarify on questions raised by Congress about EVMs: Sibal

New Delhi, Oct 13: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday said the Election Commission must clarify on the questions raised by the Congress about EVMs in the recently-concluded Haryana Assembly polls.

Sibal asserted he is of the opinion that misuse of EVMs does take place in the elections.

The Congress had on Friday submitted more complaints to the Election Commission alleging discrepancies in the electronic voting machines during counting of votes for the Haryana Assembly elections.

The Congress candidates from 20 assembly constituencies, in their written complaints to the Election Commission (EC), have alleged that the batteries in some of the EVMs were charged at 99 per cent during counting on October 8.

The complaints follow the Congress’ shock defeat in the assembly elections after the party failed to win a simple majority even after 10 years of the BJP rule in Haryana.

Asked about the allegations, Sibal said, “The questions that the Congress has raised about EVMs, it is providing proof to the Election Commission on it. So, I do not know much about it but the EC must give a clarification on it. I think misuse of EVMs does happen, to what extent it happens, I cannot say.”

“From the beginning I am against this. I have given many statements in the past. What is opaque must not be accepted,” the former Congress leader and Independent Rajya Sabha MP added.