Chandigarh, Dec 20 The BJP on Saturday expressed grave concern over the extraordinary delay in the declaration of results of the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections in rural Punjab.
Even after 33 hours of counting, results for barely 40 per cent of the seats have been declared, exposing severe administrative failure and raising serious doubts over the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.
Reacting to the situation, Pritpal Singh Baliawal, state spokesperson, BJP Punjab, said that this disgraceful delay clearly demonstrates why electronic voting machines (EVMs) are essential for free, fair, transparent, and time-bound elections.
He said that ballot paper-based elections have once again proven to be inefficient and vulnerable to manipulation.
Baliawal pointed out that ballot-paper voting inevitably leads to endless counting delays, large-scale rejection of valid votes, and open scope for manipulation, including fake ballot printing.
Reports of lakhs of votes being rejected and results taking days to be announced have seriously compromised public faith in the democratic process.
He further stated that even Punjab Congress leaders have publicly accused the AAP government of vote manipulation and fake ballot printing during these elections, which made the situation even more alarming.
Baliawal questioned the silence of the Congress high command and urged its leader, Rahul Gandhi, to seek answers from his alliance partner, the Aam Aadmi Party, on why the counting process in Punjab has collapsed so badly.
“When results are delayed endlessly, and votes are rejected on a massive scale, the integrity of the entire electoral exercise stands compromised. Voters deserve transparency, efficiency, and trust, not confusion, delays, and political games,” Baliawal said.
He concluded by asserting that those who thrive on manipulation and chaos fear EVMs because EVMs ensure rejection-free voting, faster counting, and complete transparency.
The BJP reiterated its demand for electoral reforms that strengthen democracy and restore the confidence of voters in the system.
--IANS
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