EVM tampering issue: Supreme Court wants Election Commission’s reply within 4 weeks

Source:- intoday.in

The Supreme Court today sought a reply from the Election Commission over a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) can be tampered with.

The top court has asked the central poll panel to file its reply over the PIL within four weeks.

The plea sought examination of the “quality, software/ malware and hacking effect in the EVMs from a reliable electronic lab/scientist and software expert and to file their report before this court for further action/prosecution”.

In his PIL, advocate M L Sharma has also sought a direction to the Centre for registering an FIR to investigate the alleged tempering of EVMs “for vested interest by the political party and to file their report before the apex court”.

The petitioner referred to allegations of EVM tampering in the recent Assembly elections in five states and Maharashtra civic polls.

The PIL claimed that it was admitted by the poll panel itself that EVMs are tamper proof only until their technical, mechanical and software details remain a secret.

“These details can be detected via reverse engineering by any expert. Wireless device/software can be prepared via reverse engineering, and with their help voting records can be changed in any location and at any time,” the plea claimed.

LEADERS QUESTION EVMs

Leaders like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal had raised questions over use of EVMs after their respective parties suffered humiliating loss in recent Assembly elections in five states.

Moments after election results were announced on March 11, Mayawati claimed large scale rigging alleging that the EVMs were tampered with. Mayawati charged that the BJP victory in U.P. polls smacks of ‘dishonesty’ and ‘fraud’.

The BSP, which had 80 MLAs in the outgoing Assembly, managed to win just 19 seats in the 403-member House.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also raised questions over the credibility of EVMs after AAP, which several exit polls suggested had a handsome chance of forming government in Punjab, won just 20 seats in the 117-seat state Assembly.

“Supreme court in its judgment had said that EVM machines are not 100 per cent tamper proof. Various developed countries have also banned use of EVM machines in elections. There are evidences hinting that EVM machines were tempered. Allegations made by various people must be probed,” Kejriwal had said while urging the Election Commission to use ballot paper system instead of the EVMs in the upcoming MCD polls in Delhi.