New Stance from Congress after the Defeat in Maharashtra
After the results of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, a new stance has emerged from the Congress party. The Congress has demanded that the use of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) should be discontinued and that elections should be conducted using ballot papers instead. The Congress filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting this.
The Supreme Court, which reviewed the petition filed by social activist Dr. Paul, criticized the argument, stating that doubts about EVMs only arise when the party loses an election. When they win, there are no such doubts. The Court reprimanded Congress for its double standards, rejecting the plea for a return to the ballot paper system.
After the humiliating defeat in the Maharashtra elections, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in a Congress gathering, said, “We do not trust EVMs. Elections should be held using ballot papers. If that doesn’t happen, we will conduct a nationwide march led by Rahul Gandhi, just like the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.”
The Basic Question:
When the UPA government was in power, EVMs were used for elections, and it was during the UPA’s tenure that EVMs were introduced. The Congress’s double standard is clear: a few years ago, when they won elections in Karnataka, they had no issues with EVMs. Similarly, when they won 99 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, they did not question the EVMs. In Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, where they formed governments, there were no complaints about EVMs. But in places where they lost, the Congress raised doubts about EVMs, while remaining silent when they won.
Election Commission’s Justification:
The Election Commission of India has already submitted a 455-page affidavit explaining in detail how the security checks for EVMs are carried out before every election.
EVM Machine Random Checks:
Engineers from Bharat Electronics Corporation and Electronics Corporation of India verify each EVM physically before the election. Then, 10% of the machines undergo random checks, and mock drills are conducted. These mock drills are done in the presence of political party agents, but no outsiders are allowed in the hall.
Random Selection of EVM Machines:
EVMs for the election are selected randomly. All working machines are gathered in one place, and a random selection of machines is sent to the respective polling stations.
Mock Drills at Polling Booths:
Mock drills are conducted at polling booths before the voting starts. These drills are performed in front of political party agents to ensure transparency.
Presence of Political Party Agents:
For every election, from Gram Panchayat to the Lok Sabha elections, it is mandatory for each party to have agents at every polling booth. These agents must stay with the election duty officers until the election concludes and the ballot box is delivered.
Polling Booth to Strong Room:
There is high security for EVMs when they are transported from the polling booth to the strong room. Once in the strong room, political party agents have the opportunity to seal the machines.
Election Commission’s Message to Political Parties:
The Election Commission has asked political parties to show proof if they believe EVMs can be hacked. However, no party has been able to demonstrate any hacking or manipulation.
No Network Connection:
There is no internet connectivity inside the polling booths or in the EVMs, so hacking through network connections is impossible.
Surrounded by Workforce:
EVMs are surrounded by a high level of security from the moment they are transported to the polling booth until they reach the strong room. On the day of counting, security personnel, including CISF or CRPF personnel, remain on duty.
Conclusion:
When we look at all these measures, it seems clear that the idea of EVM manipulation or hacking is baseless and not supported by any evidence.
