Demonstrate how EVMs can be tampered with, EC tells parties

New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) In the wake of objections by some
political parties to the use of Electronic Voting Machines,
the Election Commission of India Saturday asked anti-EVM
lobbyists to demonstrate before it how the machines could be
tampered with.

"While the Commission completely rejects the contention
regarding fallibility of the EVMs, it has now decided to go
the extra distance by inviting all those who have expressed
reservations about the machine to come and demonstrate the
points made in their allegations," the EC said.

The Commission said the demonstration would be done from
next week in the presence of a group of technical experts as
well as engineers representing the EVM manufacturers.

The development comes against the backdrop of Supreme
Court last week asking parties to approach the EC with their
complaints. The apex court had made the observation while
declining to entertain a PIL questioning the functioning of
EVMs.

The EC noted that similar petitions have been filed
before the Madras High Court, the Bombay High Court and the
High Court of Madhya Pradesh (Jabalpur bench) pertaining to
the possibility of tampering of EVMs.

"The EC remains entirely satisfied that EVMs cannot be
tampered with. These are fully tamper-proof," the EC said in
its press note.

Observing that so far no one has been able to demonstrate
that EVMs could be tampered with or manipulated, the
Commission said EVMs have served the country's elections well.

These machines, introduced after political, technical and
administrative consultations since 1979, have helped prevent
several electoral malpractices and resulted in more efficient
conduct of elections, it said.

Recalling that judgements from various courts have upheld
the use of EVMs and technical experts have endorsed the
machines from time to time, the EC pointed out that Karnataka
High Court had hailed the EVMs as a "national pride".

The EC said allegations have been made about the
possibility of tampering with the machine during manufacturing
or while operating them.

Referring to the argument that some western countries
have stopped using EVMs, the EC said unlike the machines used
by other countries, which were based on operating system, "the
software in the EVM chip is one-time programmable and is burnt
into the chip at the time of manufacture".

"Nothing can be written on the chip after manufacture.
The EVM in India is a fully stand-alone machine without being
part of any network and with no provision for any input," it
said. PTI MS
DDC
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