Can’t be hacked like pagers, battery inserted 5 days before counting: CEC Rajiv Kumar on Congress’ EVM charge | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The chief election commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday discussed the reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) while announcing the election dates for Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
The CEC stated: “It is absolutely safe and robust. Look at the last 15-20 elections. It is giving results after results differently. It can’t be that it is wrong, only the results are not to your liking.”
Explaining the process of commissioning of EVMs he said: “Commissioning is carried out five days prior to the counting of votes, during which the batteries are placed inside the EVMs.”
Following the insertion of batteries, the EVMs are sealed, and both the batteries and the machines are signed by the political parties of the candidates who are present during the commissioning process.
Addressing the charges made by the Congress party regarding the Haryana polls Kumar said: “We will respond to all 20 complaints on EVMs individually, fact-by-fact.”
The ECI also addressed concerns regarding the security of EVMs in response to allegations made by Congress leader Rashid Alvi, who questioned their safety by comparing them to pagers used for attacks. Alvi had remarked, “If Israel can kill people using pagers and walkie-talkies, then what about EVMs?”
Kumar clarified: “EVMs can’t be hacked like pagers used for blasts. We are asked if EVMs can be hacked like pagers that were used in some regions. The difference is EVMS are not connected like pagers.”
Speaking to ANI, Alvi had said, “In Maharashtra, the opposition should put pressure to insist on voting by paper ballot and not EVMs. Otherwise, in Maharashtra, BJP govt and EC can do anything.”
“If Israel can kill people by use of pagers and walkie-talkies, then where does EVM stand? The PM has very good relations with Israel. Israel is an expert in such things. EVM ka bada khel kahin bhi ho sakta hai aur uske liye BJP chunav se pehle yeh sab khel kar leti hai,” Alvi added.
Earlier while declaring the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections in March, the CEC had said: “Adhoori hasrato ka ilzam har bar hum par lagana thik nahi, wafa khud se nahi hoti, khata EVM ki kehte ho, aur baad mein jab parinam aata hai toh uspe qayam bhi nahi rehte.”
The CEC’s message was that it is inappropriate to hold the EC responsible for unmet expectations when one has not fulfilled their own responsibilities adequately
ECI announced the schedule for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections, as well as bypolls for 47 Assembly seats and the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat.
The Jharkhand elections will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20, whereas Maharashtra will conduct a single-phase election on November 20. The vote counting for both states is set for November 23.