Chandrababu Naidu claimed TDP encouraged technology. (File)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday, pitching for ballot paper system, said leaders of 22 parties would meet the Election Commission soon to discuss the EVMs and the voter verifiable paper audit trails (VVPAT) system.
Mr Naidu, the president of the Telugu Desam Party, said the EVMs were turning out to be a "big threat" to democracy. In a teleconference with his party leaders, he demanded that the Election Commission seek opinion of all political parties and revert to the paper ballot system immediately.
"It is worrying to know the claims made on the possibility of tampering the EVMs. It is a big threat to democracy and, hence, we need to revert to the paper ballot system immediately," Mr Naidu said.
"We are already discussing the issue at the national level. VVPATs are not being used in 100 per cent constituencies. It was only because of the TDP's fight that VVPATs are being used," he claimed.
However, the print impression on the VVPAT slips was very light and getting erased immediately, leading to doubts, he said.
There should not be any doubt in the voter's mind for whom his vote was cast and there was no place for doubts in a democracy, he added.
Claiming that the TDP encouraged technology, the chief minister noted that there was a danger of technology being misused.
"EVMs are not being used in 120 countries. Only 20 countries in the world are using them. We have to be alert with EVMs," he said.