Government today outrightly rejected opposition allegations of rigging of EVMs in the recent UP assembly polls saying such charges are an insult to public mandate. Defending the use of EVMs, it said the system has brought transparency and accountability by stopping booth capturing and manipulations of the election process. <br/><br/>Replying to a short duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the electoral reforms, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, wondered if Central government had that much influence to rig the polls, BJP would not have lost polls in Bihar and Delhi. <br/><br/>He questioned why opposition parties including Congress, BSP and SP did not raise fingers on EVMs when they won several elections in the past. Lauding the role of Election Commission for conducting free and fair polls in the country, Mr. Prasad cited several rulings of High Courts and Supreme Court dismissing apprehension about manipulation of EVMs.<br/><br/>The Minister asserted that there would be no fund crunch to the Election Commission for the manufacturing of new EVMs and their security. He said the VVPAT will be introduced in a phased manner in the elections. <br/><br/>Mr. Prasad, however, did not give a direct response to questions with regard to three thousand crore rupees sought by the Commission for having poll machines with paper trail system. <br/><br/>On a question of using VVPAT in the upcoming Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls, Mr. Prasad said it is for the Election Commission to take a call in this regard. <br/><br/>Later, not satisfied with the Minister's reply members from Congress, SP, BSP, Left and JD(U) walked out.

Government today outrightly rejected opposition allegations of rigging of EVMs in the recent UP assembly polls saying such charges are an insult to public mandate. <br/><br/>Defending the use of EVMs, it said the system has brought transparency and accountability by stopping booth capturing and manipulations of the election process. <br/><br/>Replying to a short duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the electoral reforms, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, wondered if Central government had that much influence to rig the polls, BJP would not have lost polls in Bihar and Delhi. <br/><br/>He questioned why opposition parties including Congress, BSP and SP did not raise fingers on EVMs when they won several elections in the past. Lauding the role of Election Commission for conducting free and fair polls in the country, Mr. Prasad cited several rulings of High Courts and Supreme Court dismissing apprehension about manipulation of EVMs.<br/><br/>The Minister asserted that there would be no fund crunch to the Election Commission for the manufacturing of new EVMs and their security. He said the VVPAT will be introduced in a phased manner in the elections. On a question of using VVPAT in the upcoming Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls, Mr. Prasad said it is for the Election Commission to take a call in this regard. <br/><br/>Later, not satisfied with the Minister's reply members from Congress, SP, BSP, Left and JD(U) walked out.