Show EVMs can be hacked, EC throws open challenge

Experts, politicians invited to demonstration in May.

April 12, 2017 06:51 pm | Updated 10:09 pm IST - New Delhi

Poll official checks an EVM at a polling centre.

Poll official checks an EVM at a polling centre.

To all those alleging that the EVMs used by the Election Commission were tampered with in the recent Assembly elections or that they could be hacked, the electoral body has thrown an open challenge asking them to prove the allegations.

The exercise may be carried out in the first week of May. Computer experts and political leaders would be invited to the demonstration site to show that the voting machines are not secure. The move comes days after the Opposition parties met the Election Commission (EC) and requested to replace EVMs with paper ballots, as people had “lost trust” in the efficacy of the machines.

Following similar allegations, the EC had given an open invitation to experts to demonstrate that the EVMs could be tampered with. However, the Commission said, no one could prove that it could be hacked.

After the Uttar Pradesh and Punjab Assembly elections, the Opposition parties have on several occasions alleged that the EVMs were tampered with, and each time the EC had maintained that the machines were secure, given the technology used and the administrative processes adopted to ensure their safety.

The Commission has termed such charges incorrect and baseless, stating that none of the complainants have come up with any proof to support their allegations.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.