Votes polled, counted across Maharashtra don’t tally: Prakash Ambedkar | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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Votes polled, counted across Maharashtra don’t tally: Prakash Ambedkar

Hindustan Times | BySurendra Gangan, Mumbai
Jun 08, 2019 01:09 AM IST

Addressing the media at a press conference in Ballard Estate, he raised questions over the validity of EVMs and the elected government.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Friday raised doubts over the reliability of electronic voting machines (EVMs), alleging that there were discrepancies in the votes polled and votes counted across all 48 constituencies in the state.

Ambedkar also said that VBA will not hold any talks with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) until they explain their allegations against the front.(HT file photo)
Ambedkar also said that VBA will not hold any talks with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) until they explain their allegations against the front.(HT file photo)

Addressing the media at a press conference in Ballard Estate, he said this raises questions over the validity of the elected government. He further said he would move court by filing election petitions in all 48 constituencies.

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Ambedkar has claimed that in 22 Lok Sabha constituencies, the votes counted are higher than actual votes polled, as declared by the Election Commission of India (ECI). In the remaining 26 constituencies, the votes counted were less than the ones polled. In the 22 constituencies, the discrepancies in the figures range from eight to 1,380; while in the remaining 26, they range from 16 to 2,101, said Ambedkar.

Interestingly, he said the difference in these figures was 1,207 in Aurangabad – where VBA candidate from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Imtiyaz Jaleel won.

“These discrepancies adequately point out that EVMs are not full-proof and there are chances of foul play. It also raises serious questions about the manipulation of EVMs and the validity of the incumbent government,’’ he said.

“In this background, we expect the ECI to explain its stand and the government to not interfere in the investigation. We firmly demand that India should resort to the system of ballot papers for conducting elections, as is followed by most democratic nations,” he added.

Ambedkar further said that ECI’s claim that EVMs cannot be tampered has been proved wrong. “The ECI itself should move the Supreme Court by admitting that its earlier statement was false. The Supreme Court should hold re-polls so that the true mandate of the people prevails.

Ambedkar also said that VBA will not hold any talks with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) until they explain their allegations against the front. The Congress and NCP had alleged that the VBA was the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ‘Team B.’ “First, they should explain their allegations. Based on that, we will decide whether to talk to them over alliance or not,” he said.

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