Ensure transparency of EVMs or abolish them: Rahul to EC

When democratic institutions are captured, the only safeguard lies in electoral processes that are transparent to the public. EVM is currently a black box. EC must either ensure complete transparency of the machines and processes or abolish them - Rahul Gandhi said in ost on X

New Delhi: Raising questions on the reliability of EVMs, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday asked the Election Commission to ensure complete transparency of the machines and processes or abolish them.

The demand came a day after the Congress leader had alleged that the electronic voting machine is a “black box” and nobody is allowed to scrutinise them while further alleging that serious concerns are being raised about transparency in our electoral process.

“When democratic institutions are captured, the only safeguard lies in electoral processes that are transparent to the public,” Gandhi said in a post on X. “EVM is currently a black box. EC must either ensure complete transparency of the machines and processes or abolish them,” the former Congress president also said.

Another Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said, “Before treating the Electronic Voting Machines as infallible, the Election Commission of India should put out data on how many Electronic Voting Machines were found faulty throughout the elections.” “How many machines showed the wrong time, date, votes registered? How many EVMs had their components replaced - counting unit? ballot unit? How many EVMs were found faulty during the mock poll,” he asked.

“Having contested the elections, I can confidently say that these machines have shown inaccurate results. I hope the Election Commission puts out the above data because the public have the right to know,” Gogoi also said in a post on X.

A fresh political slugfest has erupted over EVM tampering claims with Gandhi and other opposition leaders citing a media report that alleged that a relative of the Shiv Sena candidate in Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency was found using a mobile phone “connected” to an electronic voting machine during the counting of votes on June 4. However, Vandana Suryavanshi, the returning officer of the constituency, dismissed the report in ‘Mid-Day’ newspaper as “false news” and said a defamation notice has been issued to the publication.