Patna, Dec 8: Stung by the rout in the last month's Assembly polls in Bihar, Lok Jan Shakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan today expressed doubt over transparency in voting with electronic voting machines (EVMs) and said the Election Commission should consider restoration of ballot papers.
"There is no guarantee of transparency in the EVMs being used for voting by the electors," he told reporters here citing the examples United States and Germany, which have done away with them.
A number of political parties, including the Congress and BJP have also expressed doubt over EVMs, Paswan claimed and said the EC should consider use of ballot papers for elections to everyone's satisfaction.
The poll panel could also provide both option, EVMs and ballot papers, to voters to choose from during voting, the LJP supremo said.
He said he would raise the demand during a political parties' meeting with the EC on December 23.
Paswan said he was perplexed with the Assembly polls results and the outcome defied voting patterns in several constituencies where his candidates were expected to win.
"Our polling agents should have been present at the time of checking of the EVMs before commencement of polling to keep a tab," he said.
Paswan said he has convened a meeting of all 75 LJP candidates on December 20 to review the poll verdict.
He would take a call on revamping the party structure following a meeting with block and district level leaders of the party later this month. PTI
