Congress calls for ballot papers in Maharashtra’s ZP and panchayat samiti polls

The Congress has demanded that upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections in Maharashtra be conducted using ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines, citing concerns over transparency and public confidence in the electoral process.

Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Nana Patole raised the issue in separate letters to State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He argued that recent elections to 29 municipal corporations in the state had exposed serious shortcomings in the existing system.

Patole said the low voter turnout witnessed in several cities should not be dismissed as voter apathy, but seen as a reflection of declining trust in the electoral process. He noted that several states had already reverted to ballot papers for local body elections to avoid disputes and maintain transparency.

Questioning the continued use of EVMs in Maharashtra, Patole asked why the state remained insistent on electronic voting when alternatives were available. “These are questions being raised by voters themselves. To respect public sentiment, the administration must return to ballot papers,” he said.

In his communication, Patole listed multiple issues observed during the municipal elections, which he described as evidence of serious administrative inefficiency. He pointed to discrepancies in electoral rolls, confusion over voter names, missing entries, and logistical problems that forced voters to search for polling stations for hours. According to him, many voters were unable to cast their ballots due to poor management.

He also flagged the absence of voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) systems, saying this denied voters the ability to confirm their choices. Additionally, Patole cited reports that indelible ink used during polling could be easily washed off, raising further concerns about the integrity of the process.

Describing Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis as the foundation of grassroots democracy, Patole warned that growing suspicion around elections could seriously undermine democratic health. He urged authorities to prioritise transparency over technology in order to restore public faith in the electoral system.

With IANS inputs