Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has sharply criticized Congress, a key ally in the INDIA bloc, for what he describes as its inconsistent and opportunistic stance regarding the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used in elections. Abdullah's remarks came in response to Congress's recent objections to the reliability of EVMs, particularly after their losses in the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections. The Congress leadership has been vocal about its belief that the machines were “unreliable,” even calling for a return to paper ballots. Abdullah, however, took issue with this stance, arguing that political parties cannot selectively praise or criticize the use of EVMs based on electoral outcomes.
He highlighted that Congress had previously celebrated the victory of its candidates using the same EVMs when they secured a significant number of seats. "When you get a hundred-plus members of Parliament using the same EVMs, and you celebrate that as a victory for your party, you can't then a few months later turn around and say... we don’t like these EVMs because now the election results aren't going the way we would like them to," Abdullah stated. The National Conference (NC) leader stressed that this approach reflects a lack of consistency and undermines trust in the electoral system.
Abdullah further emphasized that his views are guided by principles rather than partisanship. He argued that the reliability of EVMs should not be questioned selectively depending on the outcome of elections. He urged political parties, particularly Congress, to either trust the technology or refrain from participating in elections altogether. "If you don’t trust EVMs, then don’t contest elections. You can’t pick and choose when to trust the system," Abdullah remarked, dismissing Congress's calls for a return to paper ballots as hypocritical and lacking in consistency.
Drawing from his own political experiences, Abdullah reflected on the nature of electoral results, noting that victories and defeats are part of the democratic process. "One day voters choose you, the next day they don’t," he said, referencing his own experience in losing Lok Sabha elections, but later securing a majority in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Despite his losses, Abdullah made it clear that he never blamed the voting machines for his defeat. He further underlined that a party should accept the results of the elections, whether they win or lose, without resorting to excuses or scapegoating technology.
The controversy surrounding EVMs has intensified tensions between the NC and Congress, particularly in the aftermath of the September Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The National Conference accused Congress of not putting in enough effort during the campaign, despite securing only six seats in the 90-member Assembly compared to the NC's 42 seats. Abdullah's public remarks have added fuel to the simmering discord between the two parties, as both struggle to navigate their respective positions within the INDIA bloc. His statements reflect not only a critique of Congress's selective objections to EVMs but also a broader call for political consistency and a fairer approach to accepting electoral results.
