07.04.2021

​The Chief Election Commissioner/

​New Delhi,

​

Dear sir

​Sub: Request for counting VVPA s

We have faith in Democracy. In a democracy the faith of the voters that the votes casted by them are safe, it is very important. Now-a-days, that faith is getting eroded due to various actions and inactions of the ECI. Various, Civil Society Organisations, People who are voters and political parties have represented to you to be more transparent and the Citizens Commission on Elections has brought out detailed report onelections in India. The first part of the report clearly states that EVMs are not fool-proof.

The citizens of the country, including ordinary people, have their doubt about EVMs.The voters are not sure whether their votes are really counted or manipulated.  For example, in the recently concluded general elections for the Tamilnadu Assembly and the by-election for Parliament in Kanyakumaridistrict, there are reports that 45 EVMs malfunctioned on April 6th (The Dinathanthi dated 7.4.2021).There have been reports that of votes shown in VVPAT differing from what was casted.

In Tamilnadu, the election commission has reported snagsin 867 EVMs.   In Assam EVMs were found in a car which was not authorised. Similar reports are coming from every state. The reduction in voting percentage in Urban areas also could be because of losing faith in the EVMs.

The purpose of introducing VVPATs itself is for verifiability. Counting can take few more hours or a day. When we could wait for 25 days in 3 states and one UT, there will be no harm in waiting for a few more hours or a day to know the results.  So,as a minimum step on bringing faith on the elections, we demand that 100% of the vote slips in the VVPATs should be counted along with EVM counting.

We are aware of the Supreme Court Judgement 2019, which was for that parliament Elections only. That judgement also stated that we have not gone into merits of EVMs. The whole country knows where the Chief Justice is now.So please ignore it. Faith in the people cannot be brought by courts. It has to be through actions of the ECI. If there is nothing to hide there is no problem in counting VVPATs.

In these circumstances, we request you to make an announcement that 100% of VVPATs will also be counted, so that there is faith in General Elections and in ECI.

Thanking you        ​

Yours faithfully,

D. Thomas Franco Rajendra Dev

President, Rebuild Kanniyakumari Moment,

Joint Convenor, People First & Former Secretary General,

All India Public Sector and Central Govt. Officers Confedration.