The Newshour Debate: Paranoid about EVMs?

Aam Aadmi Party, which has been alleging that EVMs were being tampered with to favour BJP in February 7 Assembly election, on Wednesday (January 4) said they will urge the Election Commission to allow them to put banners outside polling booths educating the voters about the machines. "We urge CEC to allow us to put banners outside each booth educating voters abt EVMs," AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal said on micro-blogging site Twitter. "We suspect EVM tampering. Tried to meet CEC yesterday. He was busy. Hope we will be able to meet him today," he said in another tweet. Kejriwal had claimed yesterday that discrepancies were found during an inspection of four such machines at Delhi Cantonment area yesterday. He alleged that whatever button was pressed on the machines, the light against the BJP symbol lit up. AAP leaders had also approached the Election Commission last week to know what is the procedure if a voter finds such a discrepancy in an EVM.

"They told us that if a voter observes that he pressed the button of Party A and the bulb lit against Party B's name. They should bring it to notice of the officers on duty. The problem will be cross checked and if the machine is found to be faulty, it will be sealed and replaced and if required re-polling will be held on particular booth," Kejriwal had said. AAP leader Ashutosh today said the party wants to put these banners on polling booths to make the voters aware. "We have received some complaints and there is some apprehension in the minds of people. Since BJP is desperate and they don't want to lose at any cost, they might resort to tampering. "Hence, we will approach EC today to allow us to put the banners so that voters know that if there are any such problems, what steps they are supposed to follow," he told reporters.

In a debate moderated by TIMES NOW's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, panelists -- Vani Tripathi Tikoo, Leader, BJP; Sanjay Jha, Spokesperson, Congress and Atishi Marlena, Spokesperson, AAP -- discuss t