Hyderabad: Waman Meshram, the head of All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF), has stirred political circles by alleging that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were rigged in 373 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Addressing a public meeting, Meshram claimed to possess documentary evidence showing discrepancies between actual votes cast and those recorded by EVMs.
Meshram specifically highlighted the Varanasi constituency, represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he alleged 187,000 more votes were recorded than actual voters. According to him, while 11 lakh voters cast their votes, EVMs registered 12.87 lakh votes. He remarked, “Even a hen does not lay eggs as fast as the EVM machines have over-voted.”
Meshram said that his findings are based on data released by the Election Commission, which he believes proves his allegations of rigging. He has long been a critic of EVMs, advocating for a return to ballot paper voting to ensure electoral integrity.
Despite similar concerns raised by various activists, both the Supreme Court and the Election Commission have previously declared EVMs safe. However, with Meshram’s fresh claims supported by purported documentary evidence, there are renewed calls for judicial scrutiny.
The allegations, if substantiated, suggest significant electoral manipulation that could undermine the legitimacy of the BJP’s victories in several constituencies.
Meshram’s call for action now puts pressure on the judiciary to re-examine the integrity of the electoral process in light of these new claims.
