Supriya Sule Says EVMs Cannot be Questioned After Four Electoral Wins
Supriya Sule rejected EVM rigging claims, saying she was elected four times using the same voting machines.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule has publicly distanced herself from allegations of electronic voting machine (EVM) rigging, asserting that she has won four Lok Sabha elections from the Baramati constituency using the same machines. Speaking during a parliamentary debate on election reforms on December 16, 2025, Sule emphasised that she was neither questioning EVMs nor Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs). Her stance marks a notable divergence within the Opposition INDIA bloc on a long-standing contentious issue.
Sule clarified that her comments were limited in scope and expressed high expectations from the Bharatiya Janata Party following its substantial mandate in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections. As a key ally of the Congress-led coalition, her remarks come at a sensitive time, highlighting internal differences over electoral integrity claims that have been repeatedly raised by opposition parties since 2014.
The debate was triggered by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's sharp criticism of the Centre, where he accused the BJP of influencing the Election Commission to undermine democracy. Gandhi questioned the removal of the Chief Justice of India from the panel selecting Election Commissioners and proposed measures such as providing voter lists a month in advance, preserving CCTV footage longer, and granting broader access to EVM data.
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In a strong rebuttal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the EVM system, reminding the House that it was introduced under Congress Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and first implemented nationwide during the party's 2004 victory under Manmohan Singh. Shah argued that doubts emerged only after the Congress suffered defeats in subsequent elections, particularly from 2014 onwards.
Sule's position underscores a pragmatic approach, acknowledging the role of EVMs in her own electoral successes while avoiding direct confrontation with the technology. This nuanced view contrasts with more aggressive demands from other opposition leaders for reverting to paper ballots or extensive verification.
The ongoing parliamentary discussion reflects deeper polarisation over India's electoral framework, with the ruling coalition touting EVMs for enhancing efficiency and reducing malpractice, while sections of the opposition seek greater transparency to restore public confidence in the democratic process.
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