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  Metros   Delhi  04 Apr 2017  CM Arvind Kejriwal wants civic polls deferred

CM Arvind Kejriwal wants civic polls deferred

THE ASIAN AGE.
Published : Apr 4, 2017, 1:48 am IST
Updated : Apr 4, 2017, 6:44 am IST

The State Election Commission has already declared that the municipal polls will be held on April 23.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia at a press conference. (Photo: PTI)
 Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia at a press conference. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Three weeks before the civic polls in the city, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday demanded them to be “postponed” so that it can be held using ballot papers. Mr Kejriwal had made the demand after the Punjab state polls results were announced, questioning the reliability of electronic voting machines. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal who cited “time constraints” to effect any change in mode of polling rejected it.

In response to the EC asking the AAP to “introspect” the reasons behind its performance in Punjab, he remarked caustically that he was considering including the Election Commission in his party’s top decision-making body, the political affairs committee. Mr Kejriwal alleged “widespread tampering” of EVMs and claimed VVPAT machines from UP were being brought to conduct the Rajouri Garden bypoll. “MCD polls should be held using paper ballots. It should be postponed if time is required to do that,” he said. The State Election Commission has already declared that the municipal polls will be held on April 23. “ EVMs used in one election cannot be used in another for at least 45 days, this goes against the norm,” the CM said.

He has also written to the EC claiming that his experts will prove that the voting machines can be tampered with.

Tags: arvind kejriwal, anil baijal, aap, election commission