EVM hacking row| Kapil Sibal: 'Sounds like a science fiction story but needs to be investigated'

Syed Shuja, a US-based cyber expert said that he worked for the Election Commission between 2009 and 2014 during which he helped design the EVMs used in the 2014 elections, which he claimed were hacked by the BJP. Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal's presence at the demonstration sparked a row after the BJP refuted the allegations and questioned Sibal's presence at the event, calling it a Congress-sponsored event. Shuja's outlandish claims without proof, among other things, insinuated that BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who died in an accident, was actually killed because he knew of the hacking and that journalist Gauri Lankesh was killed because she was going to run the story. The EC has also responded to the press conference and has indicated that it is mulling legal options to respond against Shuja. Meanwhile, several political parties are continuing to issue statements on the 'hackathon'. Stay tuned for the latest updates on the ongoing EVM row.

EVMs hacking claim: Kapil Sibal demands probe

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Tuesday demanded a probe into the charges made by a self-proclaimed US-based cyber expert, terming them as "very serious" as they concern the survival of democracy in India.
Read more

AP CM: EVMs turning out to be big threat to democracy

Pitching for reverting to the ballot paper system, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Tuesday claimed hackers had "proved" that electronic voting machines (EVMs) could be tampered.
Read more

Foreign Press Association strongly disassociates itself from Syed Shuja press conference

EC seeks FIR against self-proclaimed cyber expert

The Election Commission on Tuesday asked the Delhi Police to lodge an FIR against a self-proclaimed cyber expert for his claims that the 2014 Lok Sabha polls were rigged and the EVMs can be hacked.
Read more

Cyber expert's claim: Munde's nephew seeks R&AW probe

NCP leader Dhananjay Munde on Monday demanded a probe either by the R&AW or a Supreme Court judge into the death of his uncle and former Union minister Gopinath Munde after a cyber expert claimed that the BJP leader was "killed" as he was aware of hacking of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Read more

BSP chief Mayawati demands paper ballot for upcoming general elections

Kabil Sibal asks N Chandrababu Naidu to initiate investigations against BJP MLA G Kishan Reddy

Kabil Sibal press conference: Probe all EVM tampering allegations

Copy of EC's letter to Delhi Police to file FIR

The Election Commission on Tuesday asked the Delhi Police to lodge an FIR against a self-proclaimed cyber expert for his claims that the 2014 Lok Sabha polls were rigged and the EVMs can be hacked.

In its letter, the EC said Syed Shuja has allegedly violated section 505 (1) of the IPC pertaining to spreading rumors which creates panic.

The EC asked the police to "investigate promptly" the statement made by Shuja yesterday at an event in London that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) can be tampered with and that the 2014 Lok Sabha elections were rigged.

Kabil Sibal defends attending EVM hacking press conference in London

Sibal: 'Thought invites were given to everybody'

Kapil Sibal: 'Sounds like a science fiction story but needs to be investigated'

Kapil Sibal requests Andrah Pradesh CM to initiate an FIR to investigate allegations of EVM tampering. Says Electronic Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) has a lot to answer.

Kapil Sibal distances Congress from event, calls for independent probe

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal says that Congress was not responsible for organizing the event. Sibal repeats the allegations made by 'cybersecurity expert' Syed Shuja and calls for an independent probe on the issue. Sibal says that the man has reportedly got political asylum in the United States and this can be verified with the United States passport office.

EC files police complaint

The Election Commission (EC) has filed a police complaint against Syed Shuja, the 'cyber security expert' who made allegations of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering.

Who is mysterious 'cyber expert' Syed Suja?

Electronic Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) officials failed to confirm or deny if the mysterious 'cyber expert' behind allegations of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) tampering was a former employee of the organization. However, ECIL refuted the allegations of EVM tampering, according to a report in TOI.

GK Reddy (BJP): 'Would've been Telangana CM if I could tamper with EVM'

GK Reddy, BJP: I don’t have a criminal record&I demand a high-level inquiry.If I could tamper with EVM I would've been Telangana CM. How did Congress win MP, Chhattisgarh&Rajasthan if EVMs were tampered with?Congress leaders committed murders in Telangana&Andhra,I’m not like them https://t.co/xXI2b3pNiu

— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2019

Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam calls for protest against EVM hacking

There is some merit in the argument that EVMs can be tampered: Congress leader Anand Sharma.

Sharma reiterates the demand of Congress party that Election Commission must count that half of theVoter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) in the upcoming General Elections.

ECI did a hackathon in 2017, no one showed up: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Ravi Shankar Prasad said the ECI had issued an open challenge to any political party to come forward and show that EVMs can be hacked in 2017, but no one came to do it, not even Syed Shuja. The Congress is looking to find excuses for their losses in the upcoming general elections ahead of time.

EVMs have been in use for a long time: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Ravi Shankar Prasad pointed that EVMs were in use for about 20 years now. He said: "EVMs were fine when the UPA was in power for 10 years. EVMs were fine when Mayawati won in 2007, when Akhilesh won in 2012 and when Mamata won twice. But when the BJP wins, the EVMs are faulty. It is shameful, designed to compromise India's electoral process"

UPA was in power in 2014, how could we hack the EVMs: Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned Shuja's claim that the BJP hacked the EVMs during the 2014 elections, saying: "In 2014, the UPA was in power. How could the BJP hack the EVMs when we were not in power and did not even have the authority for it? What logic is this?"

BJP was right to question Kapil Sibal's presence at the demonstration: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Pointing at Kapil Sibal's presence at the demonstration, Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned the minister, saying: "What was Mr Kapil Sibal doing there? In what capacity was he present there? I believe he was monitoring the situation on behalf of Congress. He always does this sort of thing, be it the Ram Janmabhoomi or the impeachment plea against the CJI." He also questioned if the Congress was trying to insult the 2014 mandate.

Shuja did not offer proof to back his statement of EVM hacking: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Ravi Shankar Prasadsaid Shuja did not present any proof to back his statement that the EVMhack in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh was prevented, saying "only these 3 states were okay, every other state was shady".

Shuja resorted to using the death of Gopinath Munde: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Union MinisterRavi Shankar Prasad said that Shuja resorted to using the death of Gopinath Munde to claim EVMs were hackable, and quoting the doctor who conducted the autopsy on Munde, questioned his statement.

US-based cyber expert is insulting India's democracy from a foreign land: Ravi Shankar Prasad

At a press conference responding to yesterday's EVM hacking demonstration in London, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the US-based cyber expert SyedShuja is insulting India's democracy by doing a drama from aforeign land.

AAP slams media reports on its involvement in EVM rigging

Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday slammed the "false" media reports that on its involvement in the alleged 'Electronic Voting Machine hacking' revealed by Syed Shuja in a press conference in London.

"The hacker said the Aam Aadmi Party had contacted him requesting him to expose that EVMs are vulnerable. But certain channels distorted the news and said the hacker was contacted by AAP for election hacking - that is downright false and defamatory," Preeti S Menon, National Executive Member of AAP said in a statement.

"And anyway, AAP a party that had ruled 49 days and fought the election under Presidents Rule in Delhi, had no role in the election process.

AAP's credo is a free and fair election and it is the only party that showed EVM vulnerability in the Assembly and was the first to raise the alarm over this attack on democracy. Even if one vote is hijacked it's a crime against the constitution," the statement reads.

She requested the channels to make the correction and play the video clip from the same press conference.

Trinamool hits out at Kapil Sibal : reports

Trinamool Congress hits out at Congress leader Kapil Sibal for his presence at the EVM hacking presser at London. TMC says his presence was avoidable.

ECI responds to EVM hacking demonstration

AAP approached me to show the EVMs could be hacked: Shuja

Shuja claims the AAP approached him to demonstrate that the EVMs could be hacked to the world.

US-based cyber expert's claims during his address

US-based cyber expert Syed Shuja made some big claims during his address at the EVM hacking demonstration. Here are a few:

1. BJP knew of the hacking: Shuja claimed the BJP knew the EVMs were vulnerable to hacking. He further claimed some members of his team were killed when the confronted party leaders and a communal incident was staged to cover it up.

2. BJP rigged 2014 elections: Shuja claimed the BJP made full use of the EVMs' vulnerability to manipulate the 2014 elections in its favour.

3. BJP leader Gopinath Munde was murdered: Shuja claimed that BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who died in an accident, was actually killed because he knew of the hacking.

4.BJP lost Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh because his team intercepted the hack: Shuja claimedthat if his team had not intercepted the BJP's attempts to hack the EVMs during the Assembly Elections last year, the party would have won Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

5. Gauri Lankesh was killed because she was going to run the story: Shuja claims that Gauri Lankesh, who was killed in September 2017, was targeted because she had agreed to run his story of the EVM hack.

No actual demonstration takes place

No actual demonstration of an EVM being hacked took place during the presentation in London.

Gauri Lankesh was killed because she was going to run the story

Shuja claims that Gauri Lankesh, who was killed in September 2017, was targeted because she had agreed to run his story of the EVM hack.

BJP lost Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh because his team intercepted the hack

Shuja claims that if his team had not intercepted the BJP's attempts to hack the EVMs during the Assembly Elections last year, the party would have won Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Gopinath Munde was murdered because he knew of the hacking

Shuja claims that BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who died in 2014 in an accident, was actually murdered because he was aware that his party was hacking the EVMs.

2014 elections were rigged, BJP manipulated results

Shuja claims that the BJP used a military-grade frequencyto hack the EVMs during the 2014 general elections, influencing the results in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi.

BJP knew of this, shot my team: Shuja

Shuja claims he went to meet BJP leaders after uncovering that the devices could be hacked, but he and his team was shot.
He claims the BJP arranged a communal incident in Hyderabad's Kishangarh and used it to pass off the murders of his colleagues.

Shuja claims worked for ECIL, says he was attacked

Shuja says he worked for the Electronic Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) from 2009-2014 and he's not present at the demonstration because he was attacked four days ago.

Shuja also says he was part of the team that designed the EVMs and was asked by the ECIL to find out if the devices could be hacked and the process of hacking them.

US-based expert demonstrates EVM Hacking

Syed Shuja, a US-based cyber expert who claims to have helpeddesignthe EVMs used in India, says that the devices can be hacked and is addressing a demonstration in London, where senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal is present.