COUNTDOWN BEGINS | Opposition leaders meet EC

The Opposition parties met the Election Commission on Tuesday after rumours of movement of electronic voting machines (EVMs) surfaced in many states.

The leaders sought EC answers on the movement when the EVMs have to be stored in strongrooms. They asked the EC to check the VVPAT machines first and order repolling if any discrepancy is found.

Earlier, the opposition parties, 21 in number, addressed a press conference at the Constitution Club in Delhi and marched to the EC.

The Election Commission has however said the movement of EVMs is not a cause for worry and routine. It said candidates have the numbers of the EVMs and they could check them at the counting centres on May 23 before counting. 

The opposition delegation comprised representatives from the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Telugu Desam Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Left parties. The Commission will counter-check the VVPAT and EVM tallies in five randomly selected polling stations in an Assembly segment.