In a significant meeting held in New Delhi on Tuesday, leaders from the Opposition's INDIA bloc gathered against the backdrop of nearly 150 MPs facing suspension from Parliament. During its fourth meeting, the INDIA bloc put forth two resolutions, with one vehemently condemning the suspension of MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The resolution highlighted that the suspended MPs had been articulating a perfectly legitimate demand, calling for the Home Minister to provide a statement in both Houses regarding the unprecedented security breach that occurred on December 13 in the Lok Sabha, and the involvement of a BJP MP from Mysuru who facilitated the entry of the two intruders. It accused the Narendra Modi-led government of displaying arrogance by dismissing the Opposition MPs' demands, emphasizing that the Prime Minister and Home Minister chose to address the incidents through the media while Parliament was in session.
The INDIA bloc expressed its commitment to combat this perceived authoritarianism with full force, asserting that democracy itself is under assault, and the Constitution is facing a threat.
In addition to the resolution on the suspension of MPs, the INDIA bloc also adopted another resolution concerning Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The Opposition alliance had submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission, questioning the design and operation of EVMs. However, the poll panel has been hesitant to meet with an Indian delegation on this matter, as mentioned in the resolution.
The resolution reiterated the Opposition parties' doubts about the integrity of EVMs' functioning, echoing concerns raised by experts and professionals. It emphasized a widespread demand for a return to the traditional ballot paper system. The INDIA bloc expressed willingness to return to voting through a ballot paper, suggesting the possibility of a hybrid ballot paper-EVM system for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In this proposed system, the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slip would be handed over to the voter, who would then place it in a separate ballot box after verifying their choice, followed by a 100% counting of VVPAT slips.
