Agartala: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) on Monday wrote to the State Election Commission in Tripura, expressing concern over the reported use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) without Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units in the ongoing preparations for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections.
In a letter addressed to the State Election Commission, CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said that the First Level Checking (FLC) of EVMs conducted by returning officers indicated that older EVM sets without VVPAT attachments were being readied for use.
He stated that concerns over the functioning of EVMs persist across the country and that voters place greater confidence in the system when VVPAT units are used alongside EVMs. He added that, despite elections being underway in several states, there should not be any shortage of updated machines equipped with VVPAT units.
The CPI(M) also referred to remarks allegedly made by Tripura Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma at an election meeting on March 28 in Khowai district, claiming that votes cast for Tipra Motha would benefit the BJP.
The party termed the reported statement misleading for voters and raised concerns over its implications for the electoral process.
In the letter, the CPI(M) placed three demands before the Commission: the use of only EVMs equipped with VVPAT units in all polling stations, registration of a case against the minister over the alleged remarks, and convening of an all-party meeting to discuss issues previously raised by the Left Front.
The party also submitted supporting materials, including newspaper clippings and a recording of the minister’s speech, along with the letter.
There was no immediate response from the State Election Commission on the matter.