File Figure of the Vijay Wadettiwar Congress leader. | Photo Credit: PTI
The opposition Congress on Wednesday (August 6, 2025) demanded that the upcoming local election elections in the Maharaštře be carried out by means of machines to ensure transparency in the voting process.
If the deployment of machines is not FAit (voter of verifiable paper audit trails), the elections for rural and urban civil authorities should be held using ballots, the leader of the legislative corps (CLP) Vijay Wadettiwar said.
On Tuesday (August 5, 2025), he responded to notes with the Election Commissioner (SEC) Dinesh Waghmare, that insertion would not be used in a local body survey due to logistics challenges, including a large number of candidates in each department and requirements to give four votes at a time.
The use of the VVPat (associated with the EVMS via the printer port) without the solution of logistics and human resources could lead to long fronts and the crowd in continuous cabins, the Commissioner claimed.
When he talked to reporters, Mr. Wadettiwar tried to face the SEC arguments, emphasizing voters must be able to verify their voices and only EVM with support can ensure a high level of transparency.
“If the insert is not available, the ballots should be used. The integrity of the electoral process must not be endangered,” MLA Congress said.
Weeps are associated with the EVMS via the printer port that records voices and counter in a paper slip to verify the correct recording of the EVM vote.
Mr. Waghmare said that the highly expected elections for local authorities would take place in the phases, and the election process is expected to start after Diwali.
In the state, there are a long vote on Zilla Parisads, Panchayat Samitis, Nagar Parisads and Municipal Corporations.
When he answered the question, Mr. Wadettiwar defended the Congress of Lok Sabha deputy Rahul Gandhi to question the central government on matters such as Chinese invasion.
He strongly disagreed with the critical observations of the Supreme Court against the opposition leader in Lok Sabha over his remarks about the army.
Such comments of judges could disrupt public confidence in the judiciary, Mr. Wadettiwar said.
“Judges should not issue a certificate of patriotism. It is the duty of opposition to question the government in democracy,” he confirmed.
Congress’s leader expressed concern about the recommendation of the college in the appointment of a former BJP spokesman as a judge of the High Court in Mumbai, which would maintain such a development could harm an impartial image of the judiciary.
Published – August 2025 06:47
