Assam CM Sets Condition for Ballot Paper Elections in Congress States

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Wednesday that his government stands ready to conduct elections using ballot papers, but only if Congress-administered state governments take similar steps first.

Sarma's statement appears to target three Congress-ruled states that, like Assam, have previously held elections using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The chief minister suggested that if those states were to transition away from EVMs and adopt ballot paper voting, Assam would follow suit.

The remarks come amid ongoing debates across India regarding the reliability and transparency of EVM-based polling processes. Several political parties and citizen groups have periodically called for a return to ballot paper voting, citing concerns about machine reliability and the possibility of tampering.

Sarma's conditional stance effectively places the onus on Congress-governed states to initiate electoral reform, making it unlikely to result in an immediate policy shift in Assam. The chief minister has not specified which three states he was referring to or provided a timeline for any potential transition.

The issue of voting methodology remains politically contentious in India, with different parties advocating varying positions based on their electoral interests and ideological positions regarding election transparency and security.