NEW DELHI: Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday dismissed allegations of tampering of Electronic Voting Machines as “baseless” maintaining that sealed EVMs were being kept under CCTV and security surveillance in a strong room.
Some Opposition candidates had levelled charges that EVMs had been tampered with or were being transported in private vehicles in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana as several video clips surfaced barely two days before counting of votes for the general elections 2019 on May 23.
Refuting the charges of tampering, the poll body said, “In fact in all the cases, polled EVMS and VVPATs were sealed properly in front of the political parties’ candidates with videography. CCTV cameras are installed. CPAF security is there. Candidates are allowed to have watch on strong room at a time and at a point one representatives of each candidate 24 ?7. The allegations are baseless.”
About Ghazipur, the ECI said there had been issue regarding “having watch on polled EVM strong room by the candidates” but the matter was resolved by conveying the ECI instructions.
In Chandauli, the ECI said it was a “frivolous allegation” by some people, and claimed that the EVMs were in proper security and protocol.
Regarding EVMs in Domariaganj, the poll body said EVMs were in “proper security and protocol. Agitation was unnecessary”. The agitators were convinced by the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police and the matter had been resolved, the statement added.
As for the storage of EVMs in Jhansi, the ECI maintained that the EVMs had been stored in proper security and protocol in the presence of political parties’ candidates and there was no issue regarding its safety.
Meanwhile, former President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday raised the issue of EVM tampering and put the onus of ensuring “institutional integrity” in matters related to the safety and security of voting machines with the Election Commission.
“They (the poll panel) must put all speculation to rest,” Mr Mukherjee said in a statement while speaking during a book launch function and asserted that the onus of ensuring “institutional integrity lies with the Election Commission of India.”
“The safety and security of EVMs which are in the custody of ECI is the responsibility of the Commission,” he said, adding there can be no room for speculation that challenges the “very basis of our democracy”.(Agencies)
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