The Maharashtra government may introduce a bill for reintroducing ballot papers as a mode of conducting for both Assembly and local bodies elections during the state assembly’s Budget Session, which is likely to start from March.
Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Nana Patole said he has directed the Uddhav Thackeray government in the state to draft a bill for the reintroduction of ballot papers that will exist along with EVMs. “If the draft is ready, the bill can be introduced in the coming budget session,” the Speaker told News18.
“Voting is a fundamental right and one should have the option of casting vote using ballot papers or EVM,” he added.
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If the Maha Vikas Aghadi government goes ahead with the move, it will make Maharashtra the first state to bring in such legislation for elections to be held on ballot papers and EVMs together.
Several opposition parties in the country have in the past alleged tampering of EVMs and demanded reverting to the ballot paper system.
Patole also said that the state had powers under Article 328 of the Constitution to make this law on the conduct of elections. He said that meetings with several stakeholders, including election commission officials, have already been held.