'EVMs cannot be manipulated even by manufacturers'

The EVMs are robust and tamper-proof and even the manufacturers cannot manipulate them at the time of production, the Election Commission said on Sunday, countering allegations that the machines are unreliable.

With the Opposition’s questions on the reliability of the electronic voting machines getting louder, the commission has come out with a list of ‘frequently asked questions’ to put across its views in public domain.

Recently, the commission had issued two statements defending the machines. The FAQs are the third attempt by the poll panel to counter the doubts on the machines’ reliability.

No hacking

One of the first questions the FAQ addresses is whether the machine can be hacked? No, says the commission.

The M1 (model one) of EVM was manufactured till 2006 and had all the necessary features; it is “non-hackable contrary to claims made by some activists”, the answer says.

The M2 model of EVMs produced after 2006 and up to 2012 incorporated additional safety features. It can detect “malicious sequenced key presses”.

“The ECI-EVMs are not computer controlled, are stand alone machines and not connected to the Internet or any other network. Hence, there is no chance of hacking by remote devices. No tampering is possible,” the poll panel said.