EVMs can’t be hacked; no evidence, says CEC

20 May, New Delhi

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi Saturday completely ruled out any chance of hacking of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), saying 100 per cent safeguards were in place to check any tampering with them.

”We have received various complaints about EVMs having been tampered with but so far found no evidence of it,” Mr Zaidi said here addressing a press conference.

He said the use of VVPAT in future elections was going to remove all doubts in the minds of the people about the reliability of these electronic machines.

”Use of VVPAT will increase voter’s confidence and bring in transparency in the process,” he said, adding that India will now be the only country to use 100 per cent VVPAT.

The EC would not allow any shred of doubt in the public mind about the integrity and non-temperability of EVMs.

The EVMs were not connected with internet or any other network, he said. The Election Commission today also held live demonstration of EVM.

Last week, the EC held an all-party meeting here to discuss the issues related to allegations of malfunctioning of EVMs and proposed VVPATs and other electoral reforms.

The complaints about the EVMs came from the Opposition parties, especially the BSP and the AAP soon after the results of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections were announced.

On May 9, during a day-long special session of the Delhi Assembly, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj tried to demonstrate with a dummy, how EVMs were allegedly being tampered, a claim which was immediately rejected by the EC.

Last month, a Congress-led delegation had submitted a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee on the alleged irregularities in the EVMs