'No Need of OTP to Unlock': EC Official As Rahul Picks Up on Musk’s Claims, Calls EVMs ‘Black Box’

New Delhi: Two weeks after 2024 election results were announced, debate over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is back in public domain with opposition leers including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Samajwi Party (SP) leer Akhilesh Yav raising serious concerns about transparency of election process. 

So, what is controversy about?

It all began with Tesla CEO Elon Musk claiming that EVMs could be hacked. Suggesting that electronic voting machines should be eliminated, Musk said, “ risk of [EVMs] being hacked by humans or Artificial Intelligence (AI), while small, is still too high”.

And with Rahul and Akhilesh subsequently picking up on such claims by backing Musk's views, bigger question that arises now is wher Congress party retained constituencies of Wayan and Rae Bareli due to “faulty EVMs”. More so, did SP leer win Kannauj Lok Sabha seat, riding on back of so-called faulty voting machines? Well, opposition, seemingly has a lot to answer about.

EVMs in India Are ‘Black Box’, Nobody Is Allowed to Scrutinize m: Rahul Gandhi

Terming EVMs as “black box(es) that nobody is allowed to scrutinise”, Rahul alleged that serious concerns are being raised about transparency in country's electoral process. “Democracy ends up becoming a sham and prone to fraud when institutions lack accountability”, he furr wrote in a post on social media platform ‘X’, which, incidentally, is also owned by Musk.

Technology Is Meant to Solve, Not Cause Problems: Akhilesh Yav

Following in his alliance (INDI Bloc) leer's (RaGa) footsteps, Akhilesh said technology is meant to solve problems, and if it becomes cause of problems n its use should be stopped. 

“Today, when fears of EVM tampering are being expressed in many elections of world and world's renowned technology experts are openly writing about danger of EVM tampering, n what is reason behind insistence on using EVMs?” he quipped in a post on ‘X’.

Seeking clarification from BJP, SP leer went on to reiterate opposition parties' demand that all future elections be conducted using ballot papers.

Refuting unsubstantiated claims while stressing that a fake narrative was being built, Election Commission of India (ECI) has come down heavily on those indulging in misinformation, and has vowed stringent action in matter. 

EVMs Are Fully Safe, Says Polling Official

Clarifying on issue of faulty voting machines, a poll official on Sunday said an EVM was a standalone system with "robust ministrative safeguards" to protect it from any kind of manipulation and that re was no need of an OTP to unlock it.

Vandana Suryavanshi, returning officer of Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, was reacting to a report in a leing daily about a kin of Ravindra Waikar, Shiv Sena candidate who emerged victorious re by a wafer thin margin of 48 votes, using a mobile phone connected to an EVM during vote counting on June 4.

" EVM is a standalone system and re is no need for an OTP to unlock it. It is not programmable and has no wireless communication capabilities. It is a complete lie being spre by a newspaper. We have issued notice to newspaper under sections 499, 505 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for defamation and spreing false news," news agency PTI quoted Suryavanshi as saying during a press conference.

According to Vanrai police, Mangesh Pandilkar, bror-in-law of Waikar, was booked under IPC section 188 (disobeying official order) on Wednesday for allegedly using a mobile phone at a counting centre in Goregaon on June 4, when results of general elections were announced.

Suryavanshi furr said personal mobile phone of one Dinesh Gurav, data entry operator of Jogeshwari assembly constituency, was found in hands of an unauthorised person and action is being taken in this regard.

“Data entry and vote counting are two different aspects. An OTP enables ARO to open encore login system for data entry. counting process is independent and has nothing to do with unauthorised use of mobile phone, which is an unfortunate incident and is being probed” – Vandana Suryavanshi

"vance technical features and robust ministrative safeguards are in place to rule out any possibility of manipulation. Safeguards include conducting everything in presence of candidates or ir agents," PTI quoted her as saying.

official said neir Waikar or losing candidate Amol Kirtikar of Shiv Sena (UBT) h sought a recount but verification of invalid postal ballots was demanded and it was done.

“ counting ETPBS (electronically transmitted postal ballot system) happens in physical form (postal ballots) and not electronically as is being spre as part of a false narrative. Every counting sheet at every table for ETPBS, EVM and postal ballot counting (including ETPBS) is signed by counting agents after due diligence” – Vandana Suryavanshi

Suryavanshi said CCTV footage in connection with issue cannot be given unless re are orders from competent court.

Prithviraj Chavan Demands Stay on Mumbai North West Poll Result

Meanwhile, senior Congress leer and former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has demanded stay on poll result of Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat.

Election Commission of India must call a meeting of all parties and discuss this issue thoroughly, Chavan said, ding, “re must be a probe into unauthorised used of mobile phone. FIR report has not been me public”.