Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday dismissed the claims of hacking and tampering electronic voting machines (EVMs), saying there is no scope for such manipulations as the machines are foolproof.
Slamming Congress for questioning Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the BJP on Wednesday said the politics of the grand old party has been reduced to mere accusations and frustration.
Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking review of its judgement rejecting plea for 100 per cent verification of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) votes with their Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.
The latest statement of the Congress leader came a day after he called EVMs a ‘black box’ in India that cannot be scrutinised, in the wake of a media report claiming EVM hacking at Mumbai North West parliamentary constituency in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.
He said the goal is to leave no one behind and let everyone fully participate in the electoral process.
EVMs were first used at 50 polling stations in a by-poll at the Parur Assembly constituency in Kerala in May 1982.
In the plea, the opposition requested the court that 50 per cent of results of EVMs must be matched and cross-checked with VVPATs before the declaration of results in the general elections.
The Commission asked the state administration to conduct operations on EVMs and VVPATs in the presence of stakeholders such as political parties and candidates to ensure transparency.
Instead of a Messianic superhero as a leader, a team of regional leaders, working on a common minimum agenda of inclusive development and sensitive to the need of making constant adjustments in the interests of diverse groups, may be the best hope for a diverse, plural, heterogeneous country like India.
Amidst growing doubts and apprehensions regarding so many institutions like the CBI, Enforcement Directorate and the Comptroller and the Auditor-General of India, the Election Commission of India still enjoys good measure of the confidence of the people. It is hoped the ECI lives up to its reputation in the coming general election to be held under the new system of EVMs with VVPAT across the country for the first time.
