In a bid to preempt allegations regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, Thane District Collector Ashok Shinghare had invited political parties to inspect the machines that will be used in the district, however, none of them turned up despite multiple reminders.
The Election Commission implemented these inspections across districts to promote transparency and address any potential concerns regarding EVM tampering.
According to the collector’s office, Shingare issued three reminders — on July 29, August 2, and August 8 — requesting the nine political parties in Thane to send representatives for the EVM checks. The latest communication, sent on August 12 by Deputy District Election Officer Vaishali Mane, noted that the inspection of EVMs for the upcoming Assembly elections began on August 1 and will continue daily till September 10.
The inspections are taking place at the Central Warehouse Corporation, Turbhe, Navi Mumbai, from 9am to 7 pm.
The letter emphasised the need for party representatives to attend the inspection, but no representatives have shown up so far. The parties that received the reminders include the Aam Aadmi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India, Indian National Congress, Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, among others.
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