‘Difference in votes of EVMs but have no proof’: Sharad Pawar alleges discrepancies in Maharashtra poll result | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar expressed concern over possible discrepancies in votes recorded by electronic voting machines (EVMs) during the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections. However, he added that he had no concrete evidence to support these claims.
“There is some difference in the votes of the EVMs but at the moment I do not have any evidence in this regard,” Pawar was quoted as saying by ANI.
Noting that some candidates had demanded recounts, he added: “Everything possible in this matter will be done. Some have requested a recount, but I don’t have much hope of this.”
Opposition leaders, including those from the Congress, have repeatedly raised questions about the integrity of the EVMs. These concerns were heightened after a huge loss to the opposition INDIA bloc in the Haryana and Maharashtra elections.
He also criticized the current state of parliamentary democracy and noted the continued dissatisfaction among citizens and opposition leaders. “The elections have left people restless and disappointed. Every day at 11am, opposition leaders ask questions in parliament, but their demands are not accepted. This clearly shows that parliamentary democracy is not being properly observed,” he said.
Pawar further criticized the ruling parties in Maharashtra, accusing them of misusing power and financial resources to manipulate the electoral process. “This is unprecedented both at the state and national level,” he said during his visit to senior activist Dr Baba Adhav, who has been protesting against the alleged tampering of EVMs.
The Congress has intensified its criticism of the Election Commission and the use of EVMs. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) said on Friday that the “integrity of the entire electoral process is at serious risk.” The party announced plans to launch a national movement to address these issues.
Congress leader Pawan Khera also questioned the reliability of machines in a country prone to data breaches and leaks.
The criticism follows a significant setback for the Maha Vikas Aghadi in the Maharashtra elections. The Congress won only 16 of the 288 seats, while its allies, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), won 20 and 10 seats respectively.