Gujarat Assembly elections: Hardik Patel has doubts on EVMs; says BJP will lose if they do not malfunction

A day after Supreme Court declined Congress’s plea to direct the Election Commission to match Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slip with the results from at least 25 per cent EVMs deployed across Gujarat, Patidar leader Hardik Patel said , “If EVMS do not malfunction then BJP will lose the elections.”

The Patidar leader added that he has 100 per cent doubts on the EVMs. Patel also questioned Supreme Court’s decision on declining to interfere in the VVPAT issue.

Patel said, “Why are VVPATS used in first place? It is used for smooth counting of votes wherever there is a fault. I did not understand Supreme Court’s stand on the issue.”

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Mishsra, Justice Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud on Friday had declined Congress’s plea to verify VVPATs with EVM counting. The bench had said that they cannot substitute the decision of the Election Commission unless Congress demonstrates that the poll body’s decision is either arbitrary or not in accordance with the law.

Also read: Gujarat Assembly Election 2017: PAAS leader claims 'fixing' between Hardik Patel and Congress

VVPAT machines, print a paper slip showing the voter whom they casted their ballot for. The voters are not allowed to take the slip outside the polling booth. The slip is taken in custody by the polling officers.