Amit Shah Counters Congress on EVMs: Highlights Rajiv Gandhi's Role in Introducing Electronic Voting

New Delhi:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah delivered a powerful rebuttal to Opposition claims regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), highlighting that these devices were actually introduced by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, whose son and party now oppose them.

During a Lok Sabha discussion on the Special Intensive Review of voter lists, Shah emphasized that the Congress party secured victory in the first election conducted using EVMs in 2004, when Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister. However, he noted that the Congress only began questioning EVMs after the BJP's electoral success in 2014.

Shah's remarks were a direct response to Rahul Gandhi's fierce criticism from the previous day, in which Gandhi alleged that the BJP was manipulating the Election Commission to undermine India's democratic processes.

To illustrate his concerns about democratic integrity, Gandhi questioned the removal of the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel for Election Commissioners. "What motivation could there be to remove the CJI? Do we not believe in the CJI? Of course, we believe in the CJI. Why is he not in that room?" Gandhi stated.

He further described the selection process, saying, "I sit in that room. It is a so-called democratic decision. On one side, there are Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. On the other side, the Leader of the Opposition. I have no voice in that room. What they decide is what happens."

Later, on social media platform X, Gandhi shared a clip of his speech, raising three questions: "1. Why was the CJI removed from the EC selection panel? 2. Why was almost complete legal immunity given to the EC before the 2024 elections? 3. Why the hurry to destroy CCTV footage within 45 days?" He concluded that "The answer is one - BJP is turning the Election Commission into a tool for vote theft."

Gandhi has advocated for several electoral reforms, including providing machine-readable voter lists to all parties one month before elections, eliminating the law permitting destruction of CCTV footage after 45 days, granting access to EVMs, and modifying legislation that shields Election Commissioners from accountability.