Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi disclosed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was once a vocal critic of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and had raised doubts about their reliability. Quraishi highlighted that it was N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief, who suggested the implementation of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) to enhance trust in the EVM system.
During his tenure as Chief Election Commissioner starting in 2010, concerns over EVMs were at a peak, with the BJP notably publishing a book titled “Democracy at Risk” that questioned the credibility of the voting machines. Quraishi emphasized that the BJP, under the leadership of G.V.L Narasimha Rao and with a foreword by L.K. Advani, expressed doubts about the dependability of EVMs.
Quraishi recounted a meeting he organized with opposition party leaders to address their apprehensions about the electoral process. Surprisingly, N. Chandrababu Naidu led the delegation, despite his tech-savvy image, expressing concerns about the lack of transparency in voting procedures. Naidu’s main focus was on ensuring visible transparency in the voting process rather than alleging tampering with EVMs.
According to Quraishi, Naidu’s proposal for VVPAT aimed to introduce a system where voters could verify their choices through a printed slip. This measure, which allowed voters to confirm their selections, significantly boosted confidence in the electoral process. Quraishi stressed that the meticulous verification of paper slips against machine-recorded votes using VVPAT restored faith in EVMs.
Commenting on the ongoing discussions about VVPAT verification, Quraishi suggested addressing concerns through constructive dialogue rather than outright dismissal. He emphasized the importance of listening to parties raising questions and working towards finding mutually agreeable solutions to maintain the integrity of the electoral process.
