Replace EVMs with ballot papers, demands Mamata

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has demanded return of ballot papers in place of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and said electoral reforms are required in the country to save democracy and stop the use of black money during polls.

Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, also demanded state funding of elections.

"Do not forget that the EVMs were earlier used in England, France, Germany and America. But they have now stopped using them.... So why cannot we bring the ballot papers back?" she said.

During Sunday's rally, she is expected to highlight issues like EVMs and electoral reforms.

"Since 1995, I have been demanding electoral reforms. If we want to stop use of black money in elections, save democracy and let political parties maintain transparency, you must go for electoral reforms," Banerjee told reporters here on Saturday.

State funding is necessary in such reforms, she said alleging that political parties use black money during polls.

The TMC chief had earlier claimed that several crores of rupees were spent during the recently-held Lok Sabha elections.

"Some are saying it amounts to thousands of crores. I want to know, where did all this money come from? Every party cannot spend so much money. This is corruption. Money was sent to different fake bank accounts. Money was transferred even using RTGS," she said.