TMC skips Pawar’s meet on EVMs

Opposition parties last week decided to approach the EC to voice concern over the of Electronic Voting Machines for conducting elections, particularly its plans to allow remote voting for migrant voters. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar convened the meeting of leaders of opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha, which was attended by Congress leader Digvijay Singh, independent Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal, Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav, Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) member Anil Desai and BRS member K Keshav Rao among others. There was no repr sentative from Trinamool Congress at the meeting. "We just raised certain questions and we expect a reply from the EC," Pawar told reporters after the meeting. Briefing the media about the meeting, Digvijay Singh said opposition parties had unanimously rejected the Election Commission plans on deployment of remote EVMs to allow migrant voters exercise their franchise.