New Delhi, August 8
The Election Commission of India tonight announced that none of the persons who had doubted the efficacy of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) could demonstrate how the EVMs could be tampered with.
The EC, in an unprecedented move to uphold democracy, had invited all those who had filed writ petition in various courts and had been made making media statements to come forward and demonstrate how the EVMs could be tampered with.
The EC issued a detailed 2,000-word press statement late on Saturday night in which is assured the nation “… the commission once again completely reaffirms its faith in the infallibility of the EVMs. These are fully tamper-proof, as ever”.
It went on to say what has been demonstrated or claimed to have been demonstrated is on a privately assembled “look-alike of EVMs” and not the actual EVM’s owned by the commission”. The commission had invited the claimants so that there is not even an iota of doubt about any aspect of the EVM’s operation.
The EC statement said Kirit Somayya, vice-president, BJP, Maharashtra, accompanied by some others, visited the commission on August 7 responding to the commission’s invitation.
“He categorically stated that he was not opposed to the use of EVMs and he had never wanted to do any demonstration to tamper EVMs”. Somayya, however, made certain suggestions for consideration of the commission in line with his earlier correspondence.
Another invitee was Veena Singh, a candidate in recent parliamentary election in Madhya Pradesh. She made certain general points regarding physical handling of EVMs. It was explained to her that there are sufficient safeguards to take care of such problems. Satinath Chaudhury, a petitioner in the Supreme Court in 2004, came today and after making some attempts, failed to demonstrate that the EVMs could be tampered with.
Omesh Saigal, also visited the commission today. He was accompanied by some others, he refused to demonstrate the points earlier raised by him by using any of the 100 EVMs, he was offered to choose from. The EC said 100 machines had been randomly picked out from 10 states across the country. He also offered to show what he claimed as possibility of tampering using his personal computer and a ‘look alike’ of the EVMs, that was privately manufactured.
The EC statement said Saigal addressed a letter to the CEC wanted certain arrangements for him and his team of hardware and software professionals from a private company before coming to demonstrate the EVMs.
The demonstration was arranged as the Supreme Court, while disposing of a petition filed by VV Rao and three others said the petitioners could approach the EC in the matter.
The EC has invited all these petitioners to come and demonstrate their points before the commission from August 3 to August 8. Technical experts group as well as engineers representing the EVMs manufacturers, BEL and ECIL were present.
