Options of ballot paper and EVM should be available for people to vote in Maharashtra: Nana Patole

The debate over the demand for paper ballots in addition to electronic voting machines (EVMs) in local governing bodies and Assembly polls has continued in Maharashtra as the leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government opined differently on the issue.

Responding to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's remark of having faith in EVMs', state Congress chief Nana Patole on Thursday said both the options of ballot paper and EVM should be there and one should be allowed to choose its option for voting.

"Under Article 328 of the Constitution, the state government has the right to form law to decide whether it wants Assembly election to be conducted via ballot paper or EVM," Patole said during a press conference here.

"If I want to vote on paper, then I should have that option. If he (Ajit Pawar) wants to vote on EVM, then he can... So that is his opinion and this is mine," Patole added.

Earlier on Thursday, Pawar asserted that he has full faith in EVMs. He added that what political parties generally do is, if a party wins with a huge mandate then everything is fine but as soon as any party loses elections they blame it on EVMs.

"Congress government came to power in Rajasthan and Punjab even when elections took place through EVMs. What political parties generally do is, if a party wins with a huge mandate then everything is fine but as soon as any party loses elections they blame it on EVMs but I have complete faith in EVMs," Pawar told reporters here.

Further, Pawar said that if Congress proposes ballot papers then that can be discussed.

Before resigning recently as Maharashtra Assembly speaker, Patole, now state Congress chief, had asked the legislature to frame a law to provide voters the option of using ballot papers besides EVMs in local governing bodies and Assembly polls.

The MVA government of the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress in Maharashtra completed one year in power on November 28, 2020.

( With inputs from ANI )