The Congress on Monday said the refusal of the Election Commission to meet an Opposition delegation to discuss issues about the electronic voting machines (EVMs) was a matter of “grave concern” and “unprecedented”.

Writing to chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh, who is communicating on behalf of the collective Opposition, said: “This request is being made on behalf of the INDIA parties, which have given our country Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers and a very large number of distinguished political leaders. INDIA parties commanded over 60 per cent of the popular vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Yet the Commission continues to deny these parties an opportunity to meet with it. This is most unfortunate and to put it very mildly, unprecedented.”

Theoretically, the Election Commission is supposed to be fully independent and is expected to address the concerns of each contestant to ensure a free and fair election. But it is rare to find many instances in the past when the Election Commission has refused to even grant an audience to a combine of around 20 parties, leave apart address their concerns. This is happening even as there have been public protests against EVMs in the national capital and senior leaders, including former chief ministers, have raised specific questions.

Ramesh said: “I have received the ECI’s response to my letter of December 30, 2023, sent on behalf of the INDIA parties. I had made an express request for an appointment for the INDIA parties’ leaders with the Commission. I had even specified the agenda for the appointment — discussion and suggestions on the usage of VVPATs for the upcoming elections.

“The Commission’s response, while completely brushing aside our request for an appointment, has yet again failed to provide a substantive response to our queries and genuine concerns over EVMs.”

Ramesh said: “Instead, the Commission has been repeatedly directing us to generic FAQs (frequently asked questions) as the answer book for all queries in respect of EVMs and VVPATs. Yet, when we informed your Commission that our concerns remain unaddressed by the FAQs, your Commission, instead of offering clarification, labelled our queries as based on an ‘inadequate or incorrect’ appreciation of the FAQs and EVM resource material.”

He added: “This illustrates and underscores exactly why we have been asking the Commission for an audience, to discuss these unresolved and legitimate queries. Your point-blank refusal to even engage with political participants on EVMs or VVPATs is a matter of grave concern for all political parties and not just those who belong to the INDIA alliance.”

Arguing that it is surprising to note that the commission has been taking refuge behind judicial orders while also reminding that PILs filed on the issue of EVMs and VVPATs have been dismissed with monetary costs, Ramesh said: “Be that as it may, these litigations have no bearing on the queries raised. Furthermore, the Commission is
well aware that the pendency of any judicial proceedings pertaining to VVPATs does not bar the Commission from discussing or hearing the
suggestions of INDIA parties...”