Mumbai: Spare a thought for the much-maligned Electronic Voting Machine. After years of being accused of electoral witchcraft, the EVM has finally had its moment in the sun—courtesy the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation results. If it were human, it would be blushing. Deeply. Perhaps even wiping away a tear.
For once, not a single political party blamed its victory or defeat on the EVM. No anguished cries of “vote chori”. No dramatic allegations of machines being possessed, hijacked or spirited away in the dead of night. Silence. Glorious, deafening silence. This is a first. For years, the EVM has been the most convenient punching bag in Indian politics. Whenever results failed to flatter a party or a personality, the machine was wheeled out as the chief villain—despite repeated explanations by the Election Commission of India that the device has no internet access, no Bluetooth, no secret hotline to political headquarters, and no capacity for midnight mischief.
Vote chori. EVM chori. Rinse. Repeat. Then came the BMC verdict—and something rather awkward happened. The Sena (UBT) and MNS combine swept Dadar, the beating heart of the Marathi manoos, did well in Worli, and outplayed rivals in several Marathi strongholds of Mumbai, as well as in many councils across Maharashtra. The Mahayuti, meanwhile, took Mumbai overall and romped home in Pune.
This sudden, touching acceptance of the EVM has left many seasoned observers rubbing their eyes. Has the machine finally been exorcised? Or is faith in democracy directly proportional to the scoreboard? For now, the EVM rests—no longer demonised, briefly respected, and still waiting for the next election to find out whether it is a saint or the devil all over again.
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