On Thursday (27th June),President Droupadi Murmu, addressing Parliament, affirmed the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), stating they have withstood tests from the Supreme Court to public scrutiny over decades. She highlighted India’s global recognition as a beacon of democracy, citing the nation’s steadfast trust in democratic principles and electoral institutions.
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NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing debate and concerns raised by the Opposition over the reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), President Droupadi Murmu delivered a strong defense of the technology. On Thursday (27th June), addressing a joint session of Parliament, she emphasized that EVMs have consistently proven their reliability and integrity over the past few decades.
“Today, we are globally recognized as the ‘Mother of Democracy’,”
-President Murmu stated, highlighting India’s esteemed position on the global stage.
She emphasized that the Indian people’s trust in democracy remains steadfast, emphasizing their “complete confidence in democracy and full faith in electoral institutions.”
In her speech, President Murmu stressed the critical importance of preserving and protecting this trust to maintain a strong and vibrant democracy. She pointed out that undermining this trust would be detrimental to the very foundation of the democratic process.
“Undermining people’s trust in democratic institutions and the electoral process is akin to sawing off the very branch we all rely on.”
-she remarked.
This metaphor poignantly illustrated the potential harm that skepticism towards EVMs and other electoral mechanisms could inflict on India’s democratic framework.
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President Murmu called for a united front in defending the credibility of the democratic system, stating-
“We must unite in condemning any effort to undermine the credibility of our democracy.”
Her call to action was a clear message against the propagation of doubt and misinformation regarding the electoral process.
Reflecting on past electoral malpractices, she reminded the assembly-
“We all remember those times when ballot papers were forcibly taken and stolen.”
This reference to the chaotic and often fraudulent nature of paper ballot elections served to underline the improvements brought about by the introduction of EVMs.
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To safeguard the sanctity of elections, EVMs were introduced as a secure alternative to paper ballots. President Murmu reaffirmed their reliability by noting that EVMs “have passed all tests,” a significant assertion considering the rigorous scrutiny they have undergone. This includes the Supreme Court’s judgment rejecting the demand to revert to the old paper ballot system, affirming that EVMs are a robust and trustworthy method for conducting elections.