Shiv Sena joins Oppn chorus questioning EVMs’ reliability

MUMBAI (INDIA): BJP ally Shiv Sena today joined the chorus by some opposition parties questioning the reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), with its member in Lok Sabha asking the Centre to ensure that all voters get paper slips as a proof of their voting preference.nnRaising the issue during Zero hour, Sena’s Shrirang Appa Barne said several parties have questioned EVMs’ functioning and claimed that many of them had raised questions during the recent local body polls in Maharashtra.nnThe BJP had left its rivals, including the Sena, far behind in the results.nn”The government should ensure that voting print slip is made a must,” he said, with other Sena members supporting him.nnAmong other issues raised in the House, Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD) spoke about an AIIMS report that said long-term exposure to mobiles can increase the risk of brain tumours.nnThe government should set up a committee to evaluate the report, he said recalling that an inter-ministerial committee had said in 2011 that mobile towers should not be installed in densely-populated areas.nnIndustry-funded reserch to look into the health impact of mobile radiation was “not of good quality”, he said.nnMaheish Girri (BJP) asked the railway ministry to take steps to prevent non-passengers from entering railway stations as is the case with airports and metro stations where only valid ticket-holders are allowed.nnIt will help decongest railway stations and make them cleaner, he said.nnAdhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Congress) raised the issue of “illegal termination” of the services of journalists by media houses and said the existing laour laws have become toothless.nnAshwini Kumar Choubey (BJP) said the prohibition law in Bihar was not working, claiming that some BJP leaders were attacked recently by some government officials drinking in office premises when they had reached there on being informed about it.nnSource: Press Trust of India