'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 the 2024 election results were announced, the debate over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is back in public domain with opposition leaders including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav raising serious concerns about transparency of the election process. 

So, what is the controversy about?

It all began with Tesla CEO Elon Musk claiming that the EVMs could be hacked. Suggesting that the electronic voting machines should be eliminated, Musk said, “The 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, the bigger question that arises now is whether the Congress party retained the constituencies of Wayanad and Rae Bareli due to “faulty EVMs”. More so, did the SP leader win the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat, riding on the back of so-called faulty voting machines? Well, the opposition, seemingly has a lot to answer about.

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

Terming the EVMs as “black box(es) that nobody is allowed to scrutinise”, Rahul alleged that serious concerns are being raised about transparency in the country's electoral process. “Democracy ends up becoming a sham and prone to fraud when institutions lack accountability”, he further 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 Yadav

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

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

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

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

EVMs Are Fully Safe, Says Polling Official

Clarifying on the issue of faulty voting machines, a poll official on Sunday said an EVM was a standalone system with "robust administrative safeguards" to protect it from any kind of manipulation and that there 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 leading daily about a kin of Ravindra Waikar, the Shiv Sena candidate who emerged victorious there by a wafer thin margin of 48 votes, using a mobile phone connected to an EVM during vote counting on June 4.

"The EVM is a standalone system and there 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 spread by a newspaper. We have issued notice to the newspaper under sections 499, 505 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for defamation and spreading false news," news agency PTI quoted Suryavanshi as saying during a press conference.

According to Vanrai police, Mangesh Pandilkar, brother-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 the general elections were announced.

Suryavanshi further said the personal mobile phone of one Dinesh Gurav, the data entry operator of Jogeshwari assembly constituency, was found in the 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 the ARO to open the encore login system for data entry. The 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

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

The official said neither Waikar or losing candidate Amol Kirtikar of the Shiv Sena (UBT) had sought a recount but verification of invalid postal ballots was demanded and it was done.

“The counting ETPBS (electronically transmitted postal ballot system) happens in physical form (postal ballots) and not electronically as is being spread 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 the issue cannot be given unless there are orders from the competent court.

Prithviraj Chavan Demands Stay on Mumbai North West Poll Result

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

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