Congress cites Tulsi Gabbard to question EVM reliability; urges SC to take note

New Delhi: Citing US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard's statement about evidence that electronic voting systems are vulnerable to hacking in her country, the Congress on Saturday demanded that the government and the Election Commission come clean on the EVM issue and urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter.

"It is time that the Election Commission should take accountability for the doubts raised when many states are about to go to polls," Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said at a press conference.

The Congress and several other opposition have been questioning the reliability of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and their leaders have been demanding a return to the ballot papers.

Surjewala said the Supreme Court should take cognisance of the matter to ensure free and fair elections.

"The NDA government, CEC, and EC should reach out to the US and catch hold of the investigation regarding the matter by the Americans," he said.

Election Commission sources had on Friday rejected suggestions that electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in the country are vulnerable to hacking, asserting that the machines work like simple calculators that are not connected to the internet or infrared.

Referring to the reported remarks of Gabbard that her office has obtained evidence of vulnerabilities to the hacking of electronic voting systems in the US for manipulating votes, the sources pointed out that some countries use "electronic voting systems" which are a mix of multiple systems, machines and processes including various private networks including the Internet.

They underlined that India uses electronic voting machines that work like "simple, correct and accurate calculators" and cannot be connected to either the internet, WiFi or infrared.

These machines have stood legal scrutiny by the Supreme Court and are invariably checked by the political parties at various stages, including the conduct of "mock polls" before actual polling starts, the sources said.

Surjewala, however, maintained that Gabbard, the Director of American National Intelligence, has raised serious concerns over the "authenticity and believability of the Electronic Voting Machines".

"It has been 24 hours, and there is no response to this from either the Election Commission or the Chief Election Commissioner of India. PM Modi, the BJP and the NDA have maintained silence," the Congress spokesperson said.

Surjewala said the entire process of elections is under a cloud, more so when many state elections are about to go to polls.

He said the Modi government must answer the questions that are being raised after the statement by Gabbard, whom the government has recently felicitated.

He pointed out that the party has concerns about why the EC "is planting source-based stories claiming our EVMs are okay".

"Instead of taking cognisance and seeking the evidence, they are issuing certificates that our EVMs are perfect. What's the hurry," he asked.

"Should the Supreme Court of India not take suo moto notice of the issue and conduct a thorough investigation, considering that free and fair elections and democracy are part of the 'basic structure' of the Constitution?" the Congress leader asked.