Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 10: In all possibility, time table for the assembly election in Karnataka may be announced by the end of March this year. It is said that this information was given by officials of Central Election Commission, who held meeting with representatives of various political parties at Vikasa Soudha here on Tuesday January 9.

Election will take place during the last week of April or first week of May. As of now, the proposal is to hold the election in two phases.

In the meantime, except BJP, all other political parties have requested the commission to revert to use of paper ballots as in the past in place of electronic voting machines (EVM) in view of doubts and confusions expressed of late relating to these machines. As per information, the officials refused to entertain these requests, which were forcefully put forth by parties like Congress, JD(S), BSP, SP and others.

Leaders of political parties said that there are doubts about the functioning of these machines. They claimed that instances of misusing the machines, problems with such machines etc have been proved in certain states. "Netherlands, which in the past had switched to use of electronic machines for elections, has reverted to using paper ballots now. A university in USA has found out that electronic voting machines can be tampered with. The leaders wondered why is the commission owning an adamant posture relating to use of these machines. They suggested to the commission to get these machines scrutinized in the presence of technical experts by excluding political parties," they said.

However, officials of the Election Commission pointed out that the Supreme Court has given clarification about use of electronic voting machines. "Use of the machines enables early completion of election process, announcement of result etc. It is natural for defeated candidates to make allegations of tampering," the officials of the commission said, before dismissing the demand of the political leaders.