LG rejects Kejriwal's demand for ballot voting

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be used in the April 22 MCD polls, with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal turning down Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's proposal for ballot voting, saying change of mode of polling was not feasible due to time constraint.

The LG conveyed to the Delhi government that the rules will have to be amended for shunning the EVMs and it was not possible to make the changes as little over a month is left for the polls.

Kejriwal on Tuesday alleged that EVM tampering was responsible for its poor showing in the recently-concluded Assembly polls and pitched for holding the April 22 municipal polls using ballot papers.

Kejriwal's statement came as BSP supremo Mayawati, who had made similar claims after her party was decimated in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, said that she will move court against the alleged tampering of EVMs.

Kejriwal had even requested Baijal to call a meeting of political parties and the state election commission to explore the possibility of using ballot papers in the civic polls.

Baijal said that it is not possible to amend the existing rules to hold municipal corporations elections at a time when polls dates have already been announced by the State Election Commission.

All three civic bodies polls will be held on April 22 and the results will come out on April 25.

Sources said that Kejriwal had also met Baijal on Tuesday and requested him to approve his proposal. The LG stated that it is not feasible to hold elections to all three civic bodies through ballot papers.

Rules cannot be amended at this stage when poll dates were announced, the sources in LG's secretariat said.

The LG has also cited that voting through ballot papers requires huge logistical support and, hence, "it would not be possible for him to agree to the proposal", they said.