In a highly controversial incident, an electronic voting machine (EVM) was found in a BJP candidate’s car on Thursday in Assam. The car belonged to the wife of Krishnendu Paul, a BJP contestant. The state is going through an assembly election. The incident immediately triggered massive controversy and it raises a serious question mark over the credibility of the election commission. The Election Commission of India did try to do damage control by ordering fresh voting in one polling station of Assam’s Ratabari seat in Karimganj district and four officials involved have been suspended.
The incident has dented the confidence of the people on the election commission. In the last few years, especially after the BJP came to power at the Centre, several such complaints of EVM tampering have been made from various parts of the country. The conspiracy theory gains some kind of traction due to incidents like the one witnessed in Assam. The opposition parties have repeatedly alleged that the election commission does not act upon their complaints. Now the onus lies with the commission to come clean on this issue. Much is needed to bring clarity, so that doubts of the people are thoroughly cleared. The finger of suspicion is being raised on the ECI, which does not augur well for the Indian democracy. Therefore, the election commission has to rise to the occasion and come clean on the allegation of EVM tampering. For Indian democracy to flourish, the election commission will have to win the trust of the people by strictly following the laid down norms.