EC stresses objection to TDP’s choice of technical expert

But Naidu’s party says Hari Prasad Vemuru be allowed to meet poll panel experts

Raising doubts: Hari Prasad Vemuru during a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday.

The Election Commission on Sunday reiterated its objection to the Telugu Desam Party’s nomination of Hari Prasad Vemuru as a technical expert for discussing issues related to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with the poll panel officials.

In another letter to the TDP’s legal unit, the Commission said Mr. Vemuru’s name did not figure in the list of delegates provided by the party when the delegation led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu met the EC on Saturday.

The EC said that at the meeting Mr. Vemuru was invited by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora to discuss EVM-related issues with Technical Expert Committee (TEC) chairman Prof. Shahani and Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain, “being oblivious of his background, which the Commission came to know later.”

“The Commission is always open to all suggestions and the TEC carries out detailed in-depth root cause analysis of any technical glitch reported from the field to make the EVMs more sturdy,” said the letter. Stating that it was not comfortable in interacting with Mr. Vemuru, the EC said the party could nominate other expert to interact with the officials.

TDP’s response

In response to the Commission’s objections, the party had said on Saturday: “We express our strong reservation about your approach towards our technology adviser Hari Prasad Vemuru.”

The TDP said although an FIR of alleged theft of EVM was lodged against Mr. Vemuru in Mumbai on May 13, 2010, no chargesheet had been filed in the case even after nine years. The letter said Mr. Vemuru was the first Indian to be honoured with EFF Pioneer Award-2010 by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (U.S.).