EC denies tampering with EVMs

The Election Commission on Wednesday rejected Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal's charge that certain electronic voting machines (EVMs) had been “tampered” with to favour the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the February 7 Delhi Assembly polls. 

Top commission officials explained to Kejriwal, who met them, about the functioning of the EVMs in detail and foolproof steps to ensure that there was no tampering with the machines' software.

Later, Chief Election Commissioner H S Brahma said the poll panel had rejected the charge as the EVMs that would be used in voting were the latest version and tamper proof. “Such charges have been investigated in the past as well. And people should not heed such rumours,” he said.

In a letter to Kejriwal on Wednesday night, the Election Commission said: "Your comments about tampering of four EVMs in 38-Delhi Cantt Assembly Constituency is totally incorrect and unacceptable. The commission expects you to ascertain the correct facts on EVMs before making the comment on social media."

The officials told the AAP convener that the EVMs and control units “pass through” several stages of checks before being finally used for actual voting. Just before the actual polling, a mock poll “is also carried out where faulty machines are replaced. Any objection by party representatives about EVMs are also taken note of during such mock polls.“ 

Kejriwal alleged on Tuesday that during an inspection in the Delhi Cantonment area, four machines were found doctored in a way that the result always showed the BJP, no matter what party the voters chose. The officials explained to him that locks of three “control units” and four “ballot units” were broken apparently during transport and the units were replaced in the presence of general observers. An AAP representative had later signed a document detailing the facts. 

The EVMs, which Kejriwal referred to belong to the post-2006 batch, “have very little”scope of tampering.  

Meanwhile, the BJP accused the AAP chief of trying to divert focus from funding allegations against his party.