India election panel holds meeting to allay doubts on election machines
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Machines
New Delhi, May 12, 2017 (dpa/NAN) Allegations of irregularities and “hacking” of electronic voting machines (EVMs) were top on the agenda at a meeting called by India’s Election Commission (IEC) on Friday.
The commission, an autonomous body that oversees elections in India, called a meeting of 55 political parties to demonstrate that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) were not vulnerable to tampering.
The meeting was called against the backdrop of concerns expressed by some political parties about the technical soundness of the EVMs after the results were questioned in recent elections to five state assemblies.
“The stringent procedures and well-defined poll processes prescribed by the commission protect the EVMs against any sort of manipulation.
“Nevertheless, it was important to hold consultations with stakeholders,” the panel said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said the IEC keep saying “it is not possible to tamper with the EVM.
“We are requesting that they hold a hackathon so that we can show them it can be done.’’
The commission recently announced that a VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) machine would be attached to the EVMs for greater transparency.
“The Election Commission needs to settle all doubts once and for all and reassure all political parties,” Sitaram Yechuri of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) told reporters.
Manufactured by state-run Bharat Electronics and Electronics Corporation of India, the EVMs have been designed to meet the huge logistical challenges of elections in India.
Three general elections have been conducted using the machines since 2004. (dpa/NAN)
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Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Abdullahi Yusuf