SHILLONG, JULY 4: Supplementing the demand of majority of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) members for the use of ballot papers instead of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the upcoming district councils’ elections, the United Democratic Party (UDP) has also reiterated its demand for reverting back to the old and “reliable” paper ballot system as the party felt that the EVMs is fraught with danger and is unreliable.
UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh informed reporters during a media conference in Shillong Club on Thursday that the party has submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding that the process of electing legislators/MPs and Members of District Council (MDCs) be conducted by the old but “reliable” method of paper ballots and not through the EVMs. He said, “In paper ballot the voter can see where he has put his stamp but we are not sure what happens in the EVMs.”
Buttering his argument Lyngdoh reminded of the malfunctioning of an EVM machine in one of the polling stations in Madanrything during the assembly elections. Saying that “the process of democracy is sacrosanct” Lyngdoh felt that using EVMs for voting is fraught with danger to the spirit of democracy and therefore felt that paper ballots are the best option.
Lyngdoh also said that the purpose for which the EVM machines was introduce was to speed up the entire process of elections, but he pointed out that in the recently concluded Meghalaya assembly the gap between the voting and the announcement of result was four days thereby defeating the objective of introducing the EVMs.
Lyngdoh also said that the party has also sent copies of the memorandum submitted to the ECI to all political parties in India and also to regional parties in different states.
ON INFLUX : Talking a dig at the failure to initiate action against influx by the Congress led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA II) coalition government of Mukul Sangma, Lyngdoh said the government cannot resolve the influx issue with an “ostrich like attitude” but requires a proactive “multi-pronged” approach to tackle the issue effectively in Meghalaya.
Lyngdoh describe the inaction of the MUA II coalition government “total inertia” and said lack of initiative by the government is compounding the problem of influx”
Lyngdoh said the UDP if of the opinion that the issue of influx should be resolved once and for all adding that the influx issue cannot be solved with an ostrich like attitude,” he asserted.
Lyngdoh claim that delay in solving the influx issue has pushed the indigenous population of the state into becoming restive.
Last year the Congress-UDP coalition government constituted a high-level committee on influx, under the chairmanship of the then deputy chief minister and UDP leader Bindo M Lanong. The committee recommended implementing the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Meghalaya to safeguard the indigenous community from the onslaught of illegal migrants.
However, there were some quarters in the committee who favoured the three-tier identity card system to tackle the influx of “foreigners”.
Lyngdoh said that relationship between communities in the state have become fragile which is inimical to peace and prosperity.- By Our Reporter
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