Mayawati Questions EVM Integrity Amid Rising Electoral Oversight Concerns

Mayawati highlighted the historical shift from paper ballots to Electronic Voting Machines, noting that the transition occurred after five decades of traditional voting. She pointedly remarked on the BJP's past opposition to the machines while in opposition, observing that the party maintained the practice after securing power. Her comments arrive as political scrutiny of the Election Commission of India intensifies following reports of internal friction within the poll panel.

Recent disclosures suggested that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months concerning electoral roll revisions and data access. Although the Commission dismissed these reports as part of standard administrative deliberation, the narrative has fueled broader skepticism. Nationalist Congress Party MLA Rohit Pawar added to the pressure, accusing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of compromising the body’s neutrality. Pawar argued that the commission has shifted from its constitutional duty of representing the electorate to acting as an arm of the central government.