EC rejects AAP's demand to tamper with the EVMS during the 'EVM Challenge'

The Election Commission on Thursday rejected Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) demand to allow it to tamper with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the 'EVM Challenge', saying the device would lose its originality in such a scenario.

The EC's decision came after the AAP shot off a letter on Wednesday asking it not to set any rules and regulations for the challenge and allow it to be an open 'hackathon' where tampering of any kind can be demonstrated on the machine.

Referring to the demonstration by an AAP MLA on tampering EVMs, the EC said it is possible for anyone to make any electronic gadget which 'looks-like' ECI EVM and demonstrate any "magic or tampering".

"Very simply put, any'look-alike" machine is just a different gadget, which is manifestly designed and made to function in a otampered' manner and has no relevance, incidence or bearing on the Commission's EVMs," the letter said.

"Such so called demonstration on extraneous and duplicate gadgets, which are not owned by the EC cannot be misused and exploited to mislead and influence our intelligent citizens to assail or vilify the EVMS used by the Commission," it said.

On AAP's demand to allow it to tamper with the motherboard of the machine, it said it is common knowledge that changing the 'motherboard' or internal circuitry of any electronic device is like changing the whole device itselt after which it is no longer the same device.

"It is the considered view of the Commission that allowing any change of the motherboard or any internal circuit of the EVM is like saying that anyone should be permitted to manufacture a new machine and introduce newly made EVMs in EC system, which is implausible and irrational," the EC said.