"Want ballot papers for voting so that people's trust in government stays intact," says Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole

Nagpur (Maharashtra): Amid a raging debate on Electronic Voting machines, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole on Monday said that ballot papers must replace EVMs and emphasised that the Congress party has been constantly raising the demand for ballot papers but the centre has shown reluctance to it.

"Voting is our fundamental right. There is a question in front of people if their vote gets delivered in favour of the candidate whom they cast their vote for. Why doesn't the central government use ballot paper for voting?" Patole pointed out.

"The developed countries including the US and Japan have been practicing voting on a ballot paper. Then why not in India? Congress has been asking the same question repeatedly," Patole said.

He further emphasised that the usage of ballot papers for voting can enhance the government's credibility amongst the people.

"They (BJP) got the election conducted for a month and in seven phases. There was no need to do that. We want ballot papers to be used so that people's trust in the government stays intact," the Maharashtra Congress President said.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal declined to comment on the Electronic Voting Machines, saying that it is a "big issue" as he took a dig at the Supreme Court's ruling on EVMs.

"When the Supreme Court of India said that we must trust our machines, and we must trust the Election Commission of India if the Supreme Court itself is trusting them, why should I comment on them? If we start trusting the government and the machines, then all work should be done through the machines. Why do courts exist then? If we start trusting the government, then what is the use of giving verdicts? This is a big issue; I'll comment on it later," Sibal told ANI when asked about the EVMs.