"Responsibility of EC...Constitutional methods of country should not be affected": Priyanka Chaturvedi on EVMs

"When BJP was in opposition, a book was published on EVM which was also endorsed by LK Advani... It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to remove any kind of doubt. If even a single voter in this country has any doubt, it should be removed... The election process should be free and fair. We will keep raising our voices on this because the constitutional methods of the country should not be affected," Priyanka Chaturvedi told ANI.

Meanwhile, CPI General Secretary D Raja said that the credibility of EVMs has become an issue and people are questioning it.

"Not just political parties, but civil society organisations are also raising this issue... In an all-party meeting with the Election Commission of India, I raised the issue of the credibility of EVMs and also the need to bring comprehensive electoral reforms... CPI was one of the parties that demanded VVPAT counting and comparing it with EVM votes, but it wasn't accepted," he said.

Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi described EVMs as "black box" and said that serious concerns are being raised about transparency in the country's electoral process.

"EVMs in India are a "black box," and nobody is allowed to scrutinize them. Serious concerns are being raised about transparency in our electoral process. Democracy ends up becoming a sham and prone to fraud when institutions lack accountability," he said in a post on 'X'.

In India's recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, several opposition leaders had alleged that there was a possibility of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) being hacked.

However Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar after the results emerged said, "Now, it (result) is in front of everyone. Let the EVM rest till the next elections... It is a trustable thing which keeps on doing its work..."

After a report by a Mumbai-based newspaper stated that Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Waikar's relative was carrying a mobile phone inside a counting centre in Maharashtra's Goregaon that was allegedly used for generating the OTP that unlocked the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), the Returning Officer dispelled such reports and clarified that no OTP (One Time Password) on mobile is needed for unlocking EVMs.

"There is no OTP (One Time Password) on mobile for unlocking EVM as it is non programmable and it has no wireless communication capabilities. It is a complete lie being spread by a newspaper, which is being used by some leaders to create false narrative," Vandana Suryavanshi, the Returning Officer of 27 Mumbai North West Parliamentary Constituency said in a press conference on Sunday.

The Returning Officer further stated that the incident at Mumbai North West Constituency Counting Centre is regarding unauthorisedly using mobile phone of an authorized person by a candidate's aide."Criminal case has already been filed by the Returning Officer," she added.

Asserting the efficacy of EVMs in conducting polls, Suryavanshi said, "EVMs are stand alone devices without any wired or wireless connectivity with units outside EVM system. Advanced technical features and robust administrative safeguards are in place to rule out any possibility of manipulation. Safeguards include conducting everything in the presence of candidates or their agents."Sharing details about counting of votes through postal ballot, the Returning Officer said, "Counting of ETPBS (Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System) happens in physical form (paper ballots) and not electronics as being spread through false narratives."Every counting sheet at every table for ETPBS and EVM counting and postal ballot counting (including ETPBS) is signed by all counting agents after due diligence," she added.

The Returning Officer further stated that proceedings are on against the newspaper for "spreading rumours maligning Indian voters and the electoral system."Earlier in the day, an FIR was registered against Mangesh Pandilkar, a relative of Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Waikar for allegedly carrying a mobile phone inside a counting centre in Maharashtra's Goregaon.

The case has been registered at Vanrai Police Station. FIR has also been registered against a polling personnel Dinesh Gurav, who was an Encore (poll portal) operator with the Election Commission.

Mumbai's Vanrai Police has sent a notice to Mangesh Pandilkar and Dinesh Gurav under section 41A of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The mobile phones have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory(FSL) to recover the data and fingerprints present on the phone are also being taken, the police said.(ANI)