Election Commission rules out rigging in recently held state assembly polls; EVMs are temper proof:ECI
Amid growing concerns --raised
primarily by some losers in the recently held elections in five states in India
–over the credibility of fair elections in the world largest democracy,
Country’s Election body, The Election commission of India (ECI) has said snubbed
those raising such doubts and said its EVMs ( Electronic Voting Machines) are
technically sound and temper proof .
In an official statement, triggered
apparently by cacophony over the EVMs efficacy and possibility of hacking, The ECI
unequivocally reiterates that given effective technical and administrative
safeguards, EVMs are not temper able and integrity of electoral process is
preserved. Since 2000, EVMs have been used in 107 General Elections to State
Legislative Assemblies and 3 General Elections to Lok Sabha held in 2004, 2009
& 2014. In 2009, in a case before Delhi High Court, all earlier allegations
about EVM temper abilities were raised.
However, Delhi High Court
satisfied with detailed reply of ECI why EVM cannot be rigged and about ECI
efforts on developing VVPAT decided and disposed of the case in 2012 that VVPAT
may be developed early in consultation with political parties.
As explained above, the Commission has put in place an elaborate technical and administrative system of safeguards to ensure error-free functioning of EVMs in elections. The statement has said.
As explained above, the Commission has put in place an elaborate technical and administrative system of safeguards to ensure error-free functioning of EVMs in elections. The statement has said.
“The Commission is thus
fully satisfied with the tamper proof functioning of the ECI-EVMs. It may be
stated that such allegations and suspicions have not been raised for the first
time. Even on earlier occasions, the Commission has offered opportunities more
than once to those alleging the tamperability of EVM, no one has been able to
demonstrate to the Commission that the EVM with ECI and used in the country's
election process, can be manipulated or tampered with. The Commission does not
find any merit in such allegations and reject all such allegations and
suspicions raised by some political parties. ECI assures all citizens that EVM
of ECI are temper proof and fully satisfied with the integrity of electoral
process using EVM. ECI will further enhance confidence of citizens in ECI's
electoral process by deploying VVPAT in phase manner.”
Further, ECI did not receive specific complaints or concrete material from political parties/candidates about alleged tempering of EVMs during recently held election process. At this stage, baseless, speculative and wild allegations are being made which deserves to be rejected. However, if any specific allegation with material facts is presented to ECI, the same will be looked into with all seriousness on administrative sides.
The statement said The Election Commission would like to underline that it always had a firm conviction and complete satisfaction that EVMs could not be tampered with. Its faith on the machine has never wavered through the conduct of elections in the last many years including the nationwide general elections in 2004, 2009 and 2014.
Further, ECI did not receive specific complaints or concrete material from political parties/candidates about alleged tempering of EVMs during recently held election process. At this stage, baseless, speculative and wild allegations are being made which deserves to be rejected. However, if any specific allegation with material facts is presented to ECI, the same will be looked into with all seriousness on administrative sides.
The statement said The Election Commission would like to underline that it always had a firm conviction and complete satisfaction that EVMs could not be tampered with. Its faith on the machine has never wavered through the conduct of elections in the last many years including the nationwide general elections in 2004, 2009 and 2014.
“To date, no one has been
able to actually demonstrate that EVMs used by the Election Commission can be
tampered with or manipulated. What has been demonstrated or claimed to have
been demonstrated is on a privately assembled "look-alike of
ECI-EVMs" and not the actual ECI-EVM. However, the extraordinary measure
of requiring demonstration in ECI HQ in 2009 was undertaken by the Election
Commission in fulfilment of its responsibility not to allow even a small shade
of doubt about any aspect of its operation and in order to set at rest any
misgiving anywhere. Today, the Commission once again completely reaffirms its
faith in the infallibility of the EVMs. These are fully tamper-proof, as ever.”
Informatively, Both BSP's Mayawati and Aam Adnmi Party leaders have raised serious doubts over fairness of recently held polls in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. While Mayawati raised suspicions over landslide victory of BJP- which bagged 325 seats out 403 seats - and AAP saw its crashing around it in Punjab where the new outfit was sure to clinch power given their own feedback from Assembly segments and voting patterns. BSP got only 18 seats in UP while AAP 22 seats including two to its partner.
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