EVMs are credible and tamper-proof: EC to SC

 The Election Commission has told the Supreme Court that its EVMs were credible and tamper-proof. The machines in the country were better than those used in the US, the Netherlands, Germany and Ireland.

In an affidavit, the poll panel also pointed out that the standalone machines could not be tampered with any remote device. In other countries, the machines were connected with internet, it said.

The commission also pointed out that no political party could take up its challenge show any tampering with its functioning.

It sought dismissal of the PILs filed by advocate M L Sharma, the Bahujan Samaj Party and others. The commission also submitted that in 2019 general elections, only EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail would be used.

A bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud gave two weeks to the petitioners to furnish their rejoinder to the affidavit filed by the poll panel.

BSP leader Mayawati and Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had expressed their apprehension about tampering of EVMs following the results in the Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and other state Assembly polls.