EVM Debate Heats Up: Leaders Urged to Step Down

Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya challenged Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav to resign from the Lok Sabha if they distrust EVMs. He suggested they seek re-election through ballot papers to prove their political standing. The debate follows opposition calls for paper ballot elections.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has called on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to resign from the Lok Sabha. Maurya's challenge comes amid ongoing criticism of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) by opposition parties.

In a social media post, Maurya suggested that if Gandhi and Yadav lack faith in EVMs, they should step down and request to be re-elected via traditional paper ballots to assess their genuine political strength. He argued that this would demonstrate their true support, referencing a similar situation with RJD's Tejashwi Yadav in Bihar.

Maurya further accused the Congress of evading parliamentary debates, particularly on illegal immigration. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has alleged attempts to politically manipulate the Election Commission, urging reforms such as machine-readable voter lists, extended CCTV footage retention, and enhanced EVM access for parties.