NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI) following chief election commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar’s remarks on electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the integrity of the electoral process.
Thackeray alleged, “The behaviour of the Election Commission of India, be it in the Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha elections, was like an entirely compromised commission of India, and I have seen it closely.” He also called for an experiment to compare ballot papers with EVMs to gauge the voting process.
These comments come amid ongoing debates surrounding the credibility of EVMs, with opposition leaders questioning their transparency. However, in a press conference on Tuesday, before announcing the dates for Delhi polls, CEC Rajiv Kumar strongly defended the electoral process and dismissed allegations of manipulation in voter rolls or tampering with EVMs.
“Courts have ruled on 42 occasions that EVMs are not hackable, and allegations of tampering are totally baseless,” Kumar stated. Highlighting the Supreme Court’s 2019 mandate for cross-verification with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips, Kumar revealed that over 67,000 VVPATs, representing more than 4.5 crore slips, have been verified since then without discrepancies.
Addressing concerns about voter roll deletions, Kumar said that there are strict protocols in place. “No deletion can occur without thorough documentation, field verification, and giving the concerned individual an opportunity to be heard,” he said. He detailed a transparent process involving mandatory field checks, consultation with political parties, and a seven-day objection window for affected voters.
On EVMs, Kumar underscored their security, stating that they are commissioned only days before polling, with candidates’ agents involved at every stage. “Our process is not only thorough but also transparent. Form 20, containing the exact details of winners and losers, is handed over to all candidates,” he said.
The debate on EVMs reignited recently after Delhi chief minister Atishi alleged voter list tampering in her constituency. Kumar, however, labelled such claims as “misleading” and called for evidence to back these allegations.
