Soon after the assembly elections concluded, a number of political leaders including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati claimed that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) are faulty and can be tampered with. However, the Election Commission has refuted all the allegations and have affirmed that the speculations were absolutely baseless.
The EC further affirmed that India’s EVMs are best in the world and absolutely tamper-proof. “It completely reaffirms its faith in the infallibility of the EVMs these are fully tramper-proof as ever. Baseless, speculative and wild allegations are being made which deserve to be rejected,” EC said.
ECI asserted that till date, 107 elections have been conducted these EVMs adding millions of these machines were used in the 2014 elections and everyone across the country were convinced that the results were genuine. Apparently, electronic voting machines used in India is a stand-alone battery powered, white coloured device and functions equal to a basic calculator.
Not many countries can boast about using the EVMs. Arvind Kejriwal had recently approached the EVM requesting them to conduct the upcoming Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections using ballot papers and not EVMs. The Election Commission, however, rejected his request and affirmed that MCD elections will be conducted using EVMs.
“It is not for the first time that such allegations and suspicions have been raised. But none of those alleging tampering has been able to demonstrate to the commission… that EVMs used by it can be manipulated or tampered with,” the Election Commission said in a statement.
After BJP registered a historic win in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Mayawati claimed that the EVMs were tampered with.
