EVMs Blamed For MNF Loss in 2009 Mizoram Polls

By Rahul Karmakar

Guwahati, Feb 24 : Former Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga on Tuesday blamed the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for his party’s defeat in the 2009 assembly polls.

The Lal Thanhawla-led Congress had routed Zoramthanga’s Mizo National Front (MNF) in 2009, winning 32 seats in the 40-member House.

The MNF bagged only three seats after two successive stints in power.

Zoramthanga, a former militant leader, said experts have proved that EVMs were erroneous.

“The government had ordered only two companies – BEL and ECIL – to make the EVMs, and there might have been some trick or a reason behind ordering from these companies,” he said.

The former chief minister said that the newly-formed North East Regional Party Forum would be pressing for a ban on EVMs in the future.

The forum, forged last week, has the Asom Gana Parishad, Nagaland People’s Front and Manipur People’s Party besides MNF as its members