The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Short budget session, violation of norms: CPI

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 26, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Short budget session, violation of norms: CPI

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

PONDICHERRY, JULY 25. The CPI State secretary, R. Nallakannau, today criticised the holding of shorter budget sessions of the Tamil Nadu Assembly. By holding sessions for short periods, all democratic norms were violated and the people's rights disregarded, he said.

Mr. Nallakannau, who was here to participate in the Pondicherry State committee meeting, said it was amusing to hear the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, making comments against the role of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the May 10 Lok Sabha poll.

He said EVMs were used for the Assembly poll in 2001 and the AIADMK came to power. There was no protest against the EVMs then. The criticism showed that Ms. Jayalalithaa was not prepared to accept the people's verdict.

`Prove scientifically'

The Puthiya Tamizhagam president, K. Krishnasamy, has said the Election Commission should scientifically prove that these machines could not be meddled with under any circumstances.

He said even developed nations reposed their faith in ballot papers. Therefore, there was no need to use to the EVMs in India, Dr. Krishnasamy said.

He complained that the presiding officers, who had political affiliation, cast the votes of illiterate people, who did not know how to operate the machines.

"As many as 100 votes per booth were polled, which was a mockery of democracy."

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